Romania passed a major test for its young democracy as a centrist independent won the race for president, withstanding a surge of the far right.

The Kremlin on Monday described Romania's presidential election as "strange", saying the pro-Russian candidate who won an aborted vote last year had been unfairly disqualified.

As a member of the EU and one of the easternmost members of the NATO military alliance, Romania plays a pivotal role in Western security infrastructure.