Part 4/10:
Among the first-round results, center-right candidate Elena Lasconi finished in fifth place with just 2.7%, a significant drop from her previous performance. Meanwhile, the former prime minister and independent candidate Victor Ponta secured 13% of the vote, finishing fourth. The contest for third and second places was intense, with only a razor-thin margin separating conservative Crin Antonescu and center-right independent Nicușor Dan. Ultimately, Dan edged out Antonescu by less than a percentage point, achieving a commendable 20.98% to claim second place.
However, the night primarily belonged to George Simion, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), who commanded an impressive 41% of the vote, sending shockwaves through Romania's political establishment.