The front-runner in Romania's presidential election, George Simion, accuses the current government of attacking democracy and says he is the only candidate who hasn’t been tainted by holding power.

Romania's central bank said on Tuesday it was looking for the "optimal way" to counter significant capital outflows amid steep falls in the leu currency after a hard-right opposition leader won the first round of a repeat presidential election.

George Simion, leader of the hard-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, emerged as the clear frontrunner in Romania ’s presidential election redo, securing 40.5 per cent of the vote with nearly all ballots counted. The vote followed last year’s annulled election marred by allegations of fraud.