BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romanians are casting ballots in a parliamentary election on Sunday sandwiched between a two-round presidential race, the first round of which has plunged the European Union and NATO member country into unprecedented turmoil following allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference.

Romania on Friday began recounting the votes from last week's dramatic first-round presidential election, amid concerns the ballot might be annulled as authorities pointed to Russia's influence and alleged interference via TikTok.

Romania could rerun its presidential election first round, a senior election official said on Friday, after an independent far-right politician came from nowhere to win a shock victory that caused suspicions of interference in the campaign.

A car with a Romanian flag drives past posters depicting Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu and Leader of the radical right Alliance for Uniting Romanians (AUR) George Simion, a day before the parliamentary election,

Romanians vote in a parliamentary election on Sunday in which the far right is expected to gain from uncertainty over whether the shock result in a presidential election will stand. Days after far-right politician Calin Georgescu won most votes in the presidential election first round,

Parliamentary elections in Romania are taking place under the shadow of controversies related to Calin Georgescu's success in the first round of the presidential elections. The Constitutional Court has suspended the results,