The first round of Romania's presidential election brought unprecedented turmoil following allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference.

Romanians were voting in a parliamentary election on Sunday, in which the far right is expected to gain from uncertainty over whether the shock result in a presidential election will stand. Sunday's vote is the second of three consecutive ballots for both a new parliament and a new president,

Romania’s top court ordered a vote recount in the first round of the presidential election, it said on Thursday, in a ruling observers said risked tarnishing the credibility of state institutions ahead of two more ballots.

Romania’s Constitutional Court ordered a recount of all the votes in the first round of the presidential election, which was won by a little-known pro-Russian candidate, deepening the political crisis in the country.

Romania's top court on Friday postponed a decision on whether to annul the first round of a presidential election until Dec. 2, after a shock result caused suspicions of interference in the campaign.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Bucharest after a far-right populist unexpectedly won the first round of a presidential race, plunging Romania into turmoil just days before the country holds parliamentary elections.

Romania was thrown into turmoil after a top court ordered a recount of the first round of last week's presidential election won by Calin Georgescu, a little-known far-right admirer of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Still reeling from this week's shock developments, Romanians returned to the polls on Sunday (December 1) to elect their parliament, with the far right tipped to win, potentially heralding a shift in the NATO country's foreign policy.