Romania’s top court validated the outcome of a key presidential vote, approving the candidacy of a pro-Russian candidate for a runoff with high geopolitical stakes for the nation on NATO’s eastern flank.

A top Romanian court has validated the first round of a presidential race in which a far-right outsider emerged as the frontrunner, plunging the country into a week of turmoil amid allegations of electoral violations and Russian meddling.

Most polls predicted Calin Georgescu to win less than 10% of the vote in the first round of Romania’s presidential election

Draganesti, adorned with European flags and a stronghold of the Social Democratic Party, cast 37% of its votes on Sunday for the pro-Russian far-right candidate Calin Georgescu in the first round of the presidential election.

Romanians cast ballots Sunday in a parliamentary election sandwiched between a two-round presidential race, the first of which has plunged the European Union and NATO member into unprecedented turmoil following allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference.

Romania's Constitutional Court on Monday validated the shock first-round result in its presidential election, setting the stage for a run-off vote on Dec. 8 that could upend the country's pro-Western orientation and erode backing for Ukraine.

Romania's constitutional court on Monday validated the results of the first round of the November 24 presidential ballot won by a far-right outsider, paving the way for a run-off on

The unanimous decision came after it asked the Central Election Bureau to recount and verify all 9.4 million ballots cast in the first round of the election on Nov. 24