The surprise far-right winner of the first round of Romania's presidential election has denied he wants to leave NATO and the European Union, appearing to roll back some of his positions amid protests over his victory.

A hard-right critic of NATO who has praised Russia is set to face a center-right opposition leader in a presidential election runoff in Romania that could undermine its pro-Western stance after a shock outcome in the first-round vote.

On Thursday, the Romanian Constitutional Court ordered a recount of the votes from the first round of the presidential election. Calin Georgescu, a far-right candidate, took first place. The Romanian Constitutional Court decided on Thursday that a recount of the votes cast in the first round of the presidential election,

Romania's top court on Thursday ordered a recount of votes in the first round of the presidential election and the country's top security body warned Romania was a key target for hostile actions from Russia after a shock result in the ballot.