A George Simion victory could isolate Romania, erode private investment and destabilise NATO's eastern flank, where Ukraine is fighting a three-year-old Russian invasion, political observers say.

George Simion, leader of Romania's far-right AUR party, who won the first round of the presidential election with nearly 40% of the vote, reiterated that if elected, he would oppose any further assistance to Ukraine and shift Romania’s focus inward.