BUCHAREST – George Simion is hoping to do what pro-Russian candidate Călin Georgescu was barred from doing: claim the presidency and add Romania to the list of EU countries led by far-right figures.

Today, Romanians will vote in the first round of the country's rescheduled presidential election. The country has been in disarray since the Supreme Court annulled the first attempt at holding the election late last year. Putinist far-right firebrand Călin Georgescu surprisingly came out on top of the first round, but was later found to have received a helping hand from Moscow.

Entering stage right is George Simion, leader of Alliance for the Union of Romanians-party (AUR), who only placed fourth in the annulled presidential elections held on November 24. 

Now, polls show him as the favourite to reach the run-off on 18 May – and potentially win it.