Hard-right candidate George Simion won the first round of Romania’s presidential election re-run on Sunday by a large margin.

Simion, the candidate of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), received more than 40.2 percent with over 98 percent of the votes counted, according to the Romanian Permanent Electoral Authority.

He was followed by the centrist mayor of the capital city of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan, with over 20.8 percent.

Fellow Centrist Crin Antonescu of the ruling Social Democratic Party was third with nearly 20.5 percent.

As no candidate garnered the 50%+1 required majority to be elected, the country will hold a second round of elections on May 18.

The 38-year-old Simion is known for his controversial remarks reflecting his ultra-nationalist and Eurosceptic views.

On Nov. 24, 2024, Romania held its first round of presidential elections, which were won by far-right pro-Russian candidate Calin Gorgescu.

But Romania's Constitutional Court annulled the results as well as a run-off scheduled for Dec. 8, saying the election process was manipulated in favour of Georgescu by a Russia-backed campaign.