Prime minister Marcel Ciolacu, the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) who ranked third in the first round of the presidential elections, announced that he is withdrawing from the race regardless of the result of the vote recount that might bring him the second place and

Romania’s Constitutional Court ordered a recount of all the votes in the first round of the presidential election, which was won by a little-known pro-Russian candidate, deepening the political crisis in the country.

Romanian Premier Marcel Ciolacu led the first round of Sunday's presidential election with 25% votes, exit polls showed, and a run-off seemed likely after two weeks. Ciolacu, candidate of the Social Democratic Party, was followed by Elena Lasconi of the Save Romania Union party with 18%, the Antena3 broadcaster reported.