The front-runner in Romania's presidential election, George Simion, accuses the current government of attacking democracy and says he is the only candidate who hasn’t been tainted by holding power.

George Simion, leader of the hard-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, emerged as the clear frontrunner in Romania ’s presidential election redo, securing 40.5 per cent of the vote with nearly all ballots counted. The vote followed last year’s annulled election marred by allegations of fraud.

BUCHAREST (Reuters) -Romanian hard-right candidate George Simion was ahead in a presidential election first round, followed by centrist candidate Crin Antonescu, an exit poll showed on Sunday. A separate exit poll put Simion in first place and centrist candidates Antonescu and Nicusor Dan neck and neck in second.