A top Romanian court has asked the official electoral authority to recount and verify all of the ballots cast in the first round of the presidential election.

BUCHAREST (Reuters) - A Romanian top court will ask for a vote recount in the first round of the country's presidential election, Digi24 TV reported on Thursday citing court sources, after a shock victory for a far right candidate. A spokesperson at the Constitutional Court declined to confirm or deny the report.

A top Romanian court has asked the official electoral authority to recount and verify all of the ballots cast in the first round of the presidential election.

The surprise far-right winner of the first round of Romania's presidential election has denied he wants to leave NATO and the European Union, appearing to roll back some of his positions amid protests over his victory.

Romania's constitutional court on Thursday ordered a recount of votes cast in the first round of presidential elections after far-right, pro-Russia candidate Calin Georgescu took a surprising lead after polling in the single digits before the vote.

A hard-right critic of NATO who has praised Russia is set to face a centre-right opposition leader in a presidential election run-off in Romania that could undermine its pro-Western stance after a shock outcome in the first-round vote.