BUCHAREST -- Independent candidate Calin Georgescu and Elena Lasconi, leader of the Save Romania Union, will face off in the second round of Romania's 2024 presidential election on Dec 8, according to near-complete results from the Permanent Electoral Authority.

Georgescu leads with 22.95 percent of the vote, while Lasconi narrowly secured second place with 19.17 percent, edging out Prime Minister and Social Democratic Party leader Marcel Ciolacu by 2,130 votes.

Georgescu, often regarded as the dark horse of this election, has surged to prominence with his independent campaign. Born in Bucharest on March 26, 1962, he graduated from the University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine and holds a doctorate in soil science.

Lasconi, 52, is a former journalist who now serves as the mayor of Campulung. Earlier this year, she was elected president of Save Romania Union, a center-right political force in Romania.

Romania's budget deficit, high inflation, and economic slowdown may drive mainstream candidates toward populist rhetoric amid public dissatisfaction, noted Cristian Andrei, a Bucharest-based political consultant.

The presidential elections were held on Sunday, with 14 candidates competing for the state's top position.

Romania's president serves a five-year term, with a maximum of two consecutive terms allowed.