AN INDEPENDENT far-right candidate won the first round in Sunday’s Romanian presidential election.

Calin Georgescu will now run off against the Save Romania Union (USR) party’s Elena Lasconi on December 8.

Mr Georgescu was ahead after nearly all ballots were counted with around 22.95 per cent of the vote, defying polls that had placed him under 10 per cent. Ms Lasconi followed with 19.17 per cent.