Following the decision by the election authority, approximately 300 supporters of Calin Georgescu, a far-right pro-Russian candidate, convened outside the election bureau to voice their dissent, shouting ‘freedom!’
While the decision, made public on Sunday, is yet to become legally binding, it is anticipated to face an appeal, with the Romanian Constitutional Court set to rule on it by Wednesday.
The controversial far-right candidate had secured an unexpected victory in the initial round of the country’s presidential election on November 24.
Before the run-off, the results of the first round were nullified by the Constitutional Court due to irregularities in campaign financing linked to Russian interference, prompting the election to berescheduled for May 4.
Following the election authority’s ruling, around 300 supporters of Georgescu assembled outside the election bureau, voicing their discontent by chanting “freedom!” and attempting to breach the security cordon.
Taking to X, Georgescu condemned the election authority’s stance as “a direct attack on democracy at its core.”
He is currently at the forefront in opinion polls, with roughly 40% of the vote in his favor.
Accusations of Russian Influence
Georgescu, defying skepticism regarding his candidacy eligibility, submitted his bid for the May re-run ballot on Friday.
Two days before the second round of voting in December, Romania’s highest court nullified the ballot, citing allegations of Russian interference supporting Georgescu, which the Russian government vehemently denies.
Labeled by Georgescu as a “formalised coup d’etat,” the nullification has been the subject of protests by thousands against the decision.
Several members of the Trump administration have dismissed Romania’s annulled election as indicative of a broader trend of European governments stifling political opposition and freedom of expression.
Elon Musk, a tech magnate and advisor to Trump, branded the election authority’s decision as “absurd” on his platform X.
Georgescu currently faces a criminal investigation on six counts, including affiliation with a fascist organization and dissemination of false information regarding campaign financing.
He has categorically denied any wrongdoing.
