BUCHAREST, Dec 1, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Still reeling from this week's shock developments, Romanians returned to the polls on Sunday to elect their parliament, with the far right tipped to win, potentially heralding a shift in the NATO country's foreign policy.

Romania was thrown into turmoil after a top court ordered a recount of the first round of last week's presidential election won by Calin Georgescu, a little-known far-right admirer of Russian President Vladimir Putin. A run-off in that poll is slated for December 8.

Despite accusations of Russian influence and alleged interference via TikTok, Sunday's parliamentary elections went ahead as planned.

While the recounting of more than nine million ballots appeared to proceed quickly, people on the streets of Bucharest expressed worries about the recent twists and turns.

"What's going on now doesn't seem very democratic," Gina Visan told AFP at a Christmas market in Bucharest.

"They should respect our vote. We're disappointed, but we're used to this kind of behaviour," said the 40-year-old nurse, echoing voter's distrust in traditional parties.

Polling stations opened at 7:00 am (0500 GMT) and will close at 9:00 pm, with an exit poll due to be published shortly afterwards.

The first official results are expected later in the evening.

- Confusion, anger and fear -

Amid allegations of irregularities and possible interference in the election, concerns over the transparency of the electoral process have emerged, with independent observers being denied access to the recount.
 
According to Septimius Parvu of the Expert Forum think-tank, the recount order by Romania's Constitutional Court had "many negative effects", including undermining confidence in institutions.

"We've already recounted votes in Romania in the past, but not millions of votes, with parliamentary elections in the middle of it all," said Parvu.

"No decision made during this crucial period should limit the right of Romanians to vote freely nor further put at risk the credibility of the election process," the US embassy in Romania stressed.

But the top court's decision is likely to boost the far right, Parvu said.

The NATO member of 19 million people has so far resisted rising nationalism in the region, but experts say it faces an unprecedented situation as anger over soaring inflation and fears of being dragged into Russia's war in neighbouring Ukraine have mounted.

George Sorin in Bucharest said he hopes the far right will score well, claiming the current parliament had mostly served the interests of "Brussels and Ukraine" instead of "national interests".

Outgoing President Klaus Iohannis said Sunday's vote would determine Romania's future -- whether it will "remain a country of freedom and openness or collapse into toxic isolation and a dark past".

- Far right eyes breakthrough -

Romania's political landscape has been shaped by two major parties for the past three decades, but analysts predict a fragmented parliament to emerge from Sunday's vote, influencing the chances of forming a future government.

Polls show that three far-right parties are predicted to claim more than 30 percent of the vote share combined.

Among them is the AUR party, whose leader George Simion won nearly 14 percent of the presidential vote, which topped the latest polls on more than 22 percent.

"We are here, standing, alive, more numerous than ever, and with a huge opportunity ahead of us," Simion -- a fan of US President-elect Donald Trump -- recently told his supporters.

The Party of Young People (POT), which was founded in 2023 and has meanwhile thrown its support behind Georgescu, could reach the five-percent threshold to enter parliament and there is also the extreme-right SOS Romania party, led by firebrand Diana Sosoaca.

In recent years, around 30 percent of Romanians have embraced far-right views, even if they have not always voted for them in elections.

Elena Lasconi's pro-European USR party has warned that the country faces "a historic confrontation" between those who wish to "preserve Romania's young democracy" and those who want to "return to the Russian sphere of influence".

The ruling Social Democrats (PSD) and the National Liberal Party (PNL), which suffered a defeat in the presidential ballot, have centred their campaigns on their "experience".

"The political scene is completely reset," said political scientist Remus Stefureac, adding that 2025 "will be extremely complicated in terms of security risks".