BUCHAREST — Romania’s future parliament and government will continue the country’s strong pro-EU, pro-NATO and pro-Ukraine national strategy, despite a surge by ultra-nationalist contenders.

With more than 99% of the votes counted, Romania’s ruling leftist Social Democratic Party (PSD) is on course to win Sunday’s parliamentary elections.

They’ve taken just under 23% of the vote, holding an almost 5% advantage over the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR) who won the second most votes, at just over 18%.

The center-right National Liberal Party (PNL) stands at about 14.4%, while the reformist Save Romania Union party (USR) was at 12%.

Three more parties managed to pass the required 5% threshold to join parliament.

The far-right S.O.S Romania party, the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania and the little-known right-wing Party of Young People won 7.5%, 6.5% and 6.2% respectively.

The legislative vote came a week after a highly controversial first round presidential race, which saw independent far-right populist candidate Călin Georgescu win the most votes.

Incumbent Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu came in third in the presidential election and resigned as PSD leader.

He warned that “we need to look at carefully” at the results, indicating that Romanians have sent an “important signal to the political class.”

Georgescu will now face USR candidate, Elena Lasconi, in a runoff vote set for 8 December. — Euronews