Romanian constitutional court validates first round of presidential race after vote recount

Associated Press

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — 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. The Constitutional Court’s decision on Monday came after it asked the Central Election Bureau last week to recount and verify all 9.4 million ballots cast. Calin Georgescu, a little-known far-right populist and independent candidate, won the first round and will face reformist Elena Lasconi, the leader of the Save Romania Union party, in a runoff on Sunday.