Pro-Western candidate heading for surprise win in Romanian election

Counting in the Romanian presidential election suggests pro-Western centrist Nicusor Dan is on course for a surprise win over hard-right populist George Simion.

Mr Simion, 38 and his rival - who is currently Bucharest's mayor - are facing off in the second round of elections. According to the official tally, Mr Dan was leading comfortably by seven points as more than 90% of the votes were counted.

But after exit polls suggested he wasn't going to win, Trump-supporting Mr Simion rejected his apparent loss and said estimates put him 400,000 votes ahead. Speaking after voting ended, Mr Simion said his election was "clear" as he posted on Facebook: "I won!!! I am the new President of Romania and I am giving back the power to the Romanians!" Romania's last election was annulled after its highest court ruled the leading candidate, nationalist Calin Georgescu, should be disqualified due to claims of electoral interference by Russia.

The result is surprising because in the first round a few weeks ago, 38-year-old Mr Simion, founder of the right-wing Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR), took 40.96% of the vote - almost 20 points ahead. An opinion poll on Friday had it much closer, but still suggested the two men were virtually tied.

Mr Dan, a 55-year-old mathematician, is running as an independent and has pledged to clamp down on corruption. He is also staunchly pro-EU and NATO, and has said Romania's support for Ukraine is vital for its own security.

When voting closed at 9pm local time, 11.6 million people - about 64% of eligible voters - had cast ballots. About 1.64 million Romanians living abroad also took part.

Read more from Sky News: British surgeon working in Gaza says it is now 'a slaughterhouse'Navy ship crashes into Brooklyn Bridge - two dead and others injured The election is being closely watched across Europe amid a rise of support for President Donald Trump. After polls closed Sunday, Mr Dan told the media that "elections are not about politicians" but about communities and that in the latest vote, "a community of Romanians has won, a community that wants a profound change in Romania." "When Romania goes through difficult times, let us remember the strength of this Romanian society," he said.

"There is also a community that lost today's elections. A community that is rightly outraged by the way politics has been conducted in Romania up to now.".