Romania’s electoral commission on Sunday banned the candidacy of for the upcoming presidential elections.
The electoral bureau said in a statement that it had adopted “the rejection of the registration of the independent candidacy” of Georgescu without providing any details justifying the move.
He is expected to appeal the decision.
Hundreds of angry Georgescu supporters took to the streets in the capital, Bucharest, as they sought to forcefully enter the electoral commission’s building, officials said.
Georgescu denounced the move in a post on the social media platform X, saying it was “a direct blow to the heart of democracy worldwide.”
“Europe is now a dictatorship, Romania is under tyranny!,” he added.
Under investigation
The far-right politician unexpectedly won the first round of a presidential election last November, but the vote was annulled by shortly before the second round was set to take place.
The court made the ruling citing allegations of in Georgescu’s favor, something that both he and Moscow have denied.
Prior to the annulment of his candidacy, Georgescu has been with around 40% of the vote.
But he is currently marred in . Aside from being accused of having close ties to Russia, he is facing numerous charges, including making “false statements” over his campaign financing.
He has also been accused of “instigation to actions against the constitutional order, in attempted form,” as well as “initiating or constituting a fascist, racist or xenophobic organization, joining or supporting, in any form, such a group.”
Backed by Trump
Georgescu has campaigned against sending aid to Ukraine and also presented himself as “ultra pro” US President Donald Trump.
Senior members of Trump’s administration have publicly backed Georgescu.
“This is crazy!,” said Trump adviser Elon Musk on X in response to the electoral commission’s decision.
US Vice President JD Vance has criticized the constitutional court for its decision to anul the presidential vote, acussing the Romanian government of “canceling elections because you don’t like the result,” and accussing them of being “so afraid of your own people that you silence them.”
The post Romania: Far-right candidate Georgescu barred from presidential election appeared first on Deutsche Welle.
