Romania’s electoral bureau has disqualified far-right candidate Călin Georgescu from running in the country’s presidential election set for May.
The decision, announced on Sunday, came after officials received over 1,000 challenges to his candidacy, citing concerns over his extremist views and anti-democratic positions.
While Georgescu’s exclusion has been confirmed, he still has the option to appeal the ruling at the Constitutional Court. If upheld, the decision could escalate political tensions in Romania and potentially lead to protests.
The country is already facing a period of instability. In February, President Klaus Iohannis resigned following intense public and political pressure. His departure came ahead of a rerun of last year’s controversial election, which was annulled by Romania’s top court due to allegations of Russian interference.
With the election just months away, the removal of a leading candidate adds further uncertainty to Romania’s political landscape.