Recount order, TikTok claims throw Romania election into chaos

Bucharest: Romania s presidential election was thrown into chaos Thursday as a court ordered a recount of first round results and security officials a...

Bucharest: Romania's presidential election was thrown into chaos Thursday as a court ordered a recount of first-round results and security officials alleged that interference via TikTok had boosted a little-known far-right candidate.

The moves came as the country braces for legislative polls plus a run-off vote between a far-right admirer of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a pro-European centrist contender.

The Romanian presidency said security officials had detected "cyberattacks" intended to influence the outcome of Sunday's vote, which saw far-right candidate Calin Georgescu secure an unexpected first-round win.

Georgescu knocked Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu out of the race, setting up a second-round runoff on December 8 with centrist Elena Lasconi, who placed second.

Another far-right candidate meanwhile went after Lasconi by obtaining an order from the Constitutional Court for a recount of the first-round votes.