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

By Luiza Ilie BUCHAREST (Reuters) - 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.

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.

A top court issued the ruling just days after an ultranationalist outsider unexpectedly won the most votes in the first round of presidential elections held Sunday.

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.

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 ruling Social Democrats (PSD) were leading in Sunday's parliamentary elections, but the far right secured big gains, exit polling found, deepening uncertainty in a country rocked by political chaos.

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.

Romanians flocked to the polls on Sunday to elect a new parliament with the far right tipped to gain ground, potentially heralding a shift in the foreign policy of the

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.