BUCHAREST, Romania (AFP) — 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-known far-right candidate.

The moves came as the country braces for legislative polls plus a run-off vote between a far-right admirer of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a pro-European centrist contender.

The Romanian presidency said security officials had detected “cyberattacks” intended to influence the outcome of Sunday’s vote, which saw far-right candidate Calin Georgescu secure an unexpected first-round win.

Georgescu knocked Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu out of the race, setting up a second-round runoff on 8 December with centrist Elena Lasconi, who placed second.

Another far-right candidate meanwhile went after Lasconi by obtaining an order from the Constitutional Court for a recount of the first-round votes.

The candidate, European Union parliament member Cristian Terhes, accused Lasconi’s Union Save Romania party of continuing to campaign online after the legal deadline.

In response, the Constitutional Court said it had unanimously ordered a “re-verification and recount of all ballots” from Sunday’s vote.

But the court rejected a separate request by another presidential candidate to annul the first round of the vote, saying the request was filed too late.

The court is due to reconvene on Friday at 2 p.m.

Barely known outside Romania, Georgescu was allegedly boosted by viral TikTok campaigns calling for an end to aid for neighboring Ukraine in its war with Russia and sounding a skeptical note on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

On Thursday, a top Romanian security body said Georgescu was granted “preferential treatment” by TikTok that it said led to his “massive exposure.”

In the statement, the Supreme Council of National Defense demanded that authorities “urgently take the necessary steps” to shed light on the matter.

TikTok denied the allegations.