Who is the far-right populist and TikTok star now leading Romania's presidential race?
Calin Georgescu, a previously obscure far-right populist and Tiktok star, unexpectedly came in first place with 22.9 percent of the vote during the first round of Romania's presidential election on Sunday. An independent candidate, he has focused his campaign on criticising NATO and pushing for reduced support for Ukraine.
Most polls predicted Calin Georgescu to win less than 10% of the vote in the first round of Romania's presidential election.
However, the 62-year-old obscure far-right populist shook the country's political landscape by clinching the most votes and advancing to the second round to face off against reformist Elena Lasconi of the progressive Save Romania Union party.
He also beat the incumbent Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu of the Social Democratic Party, leaving the ruling party for the first time in Romania’s 35-year post-communist history without a candidate in the runoff, set for Dec. 8.
Read moreRomania's far-right presidential candidate takes first round in shock poll, PM out
The surprising outcome has left many political observers wondering how most local surveys were off, putting Georgescu behind at least five other candidates.
“The debates in these campaigns were very low in quality and ideas,” he said.
(AP)
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