Romania’s top court ordered a recount after a little-known ultranationalist candidate scored a surprise victory in Sunday’s presidential election, as a security panel said the contest was affected by a cyber operation aimed at influencing the outcome.

A recount of the votes cast in Sunday's first round of presidential elections in Romania has been ordered by the country's top court following allegations that social media platform TikTok gave "preferential treatment" to the surprise winner, Calin Georgescu.

Romania is in the middle of three consecutive weekend ballots for both a new parliament and a new president. Events spun off the rails in the first round of the presidential election on Nov. 24, when a Russia sympathizer with barely any public profile emerged as the shock winner.

A top court issued the ruling just days after an ultranationalist outsider unexpectedly won the most votes in the first round of presidential elections held Sunday.

Barely known a year ago, far-right candidate Calin Georgescu successfully dominated social network TikTok to emerge the shock winner of Romania's first-round presidential election -- an online campaign that has raised suspicions.

Romania's presidential election was thrown into chaos Thursday as a court ordered a recount of first-round results and security officials alleged that interference via TikTok had boosted a little-know

Cyberattacks in Romania have aimed to influence the presidential elections, as the National Defense Council (CSAT) reported Thursday. One of the candidates received preferential treatment from the social platform TikTok.