Romania’s central election bureau has banned far-right pro-Russian candidate Călin Georgescu from rerunning the presidential election in May.
Rejecting his candidacy was announced Sunday night and condemned by the leaders of the far-right party as undemocratic, which can be challenged in the Constitutional Court.
Dozens of supporters of populist Georgescu gathered outside the election bureau, shouting “freedom” and briefly tried to force them across the security cordon.
Georgescu submitted his candidacy in a May vote reenactment on Friday, doubting whether he would be allowed to run.
Romania’s Supreme Court abolished the vote two days before the second round of votes in December, citing Moscow denied Russian interference in Georgescu’s favor.
Our President Donald Trump’s administration calls Romania’s canceled elections an example of European government suppressing free speech and political opponents.
Tech billionaire and Trump adviser Elon Musk called the election authorities’ decision “crazy” on his social media platform X.
Georgescu is conducting a criminal investigation into six counts, including members of the fascist group and false information about campaign financing. He denied all wrongdoing.
