Romanian centre-right leader makes it to Dec. 8 presidential run-off vote, preliminary count shows

BUCHAREST (Reuters) – Romanians voting abroad in the first round of a presidential election on Sunday pushed opposition centre-right party leader Elena Lasconi to second place, ahead of Social Democrat Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, a preliminary vote count showed.

Independent hard-right candidate Calin Georgescu was in first place.

With 99.9% of votes counted, Lasconi will face an independent hard-right NATO critic in a Dec. 8 run-off vote, in a shock result that threatens Romania’s staunchly pro-Ukraine stance.

(Reporting by Luiza Ilie; Editing by Bernadette Baum)