Colin Georgescu, a pro-Russian far-right candidate from Romania reportedly urged to run by the Donald Trump administration, was denied registration as a presidential candidate.
On the 9th (local time), according to AFP and Bloomberg News, a spokesperson for the Romanian Central Electoral Bureau explained that Georgescu's presidential candidacy registration was rejected, stating, "Over 1,000 objections were filed against candidate Georgescu's run, mainly related to his anti-democratic tendencies and extremist positions."
Far-right party leaders strongly opposed the decision to disallow Georgescu's candidacy, calling it an "undemocratic decision." Dozens of far-right supporters gathered in front of the Central Electoral Bureau building in the capital Bucharest to protest, with some attempting to breach police barricades and enter the building.
Georgescu has been a controversial figure for his pro-Russian remarks such as "Russian President Vladimir Putin is one of the few proper leaders in the world" and "Ukraine was never a legitimate country." Last November, he unexpectedly secured first place in the first round of the presidential election, advancing to the runoff.
Following Georgescu's unexpected success, allegations of election law violations and Russian interference surfaced, prompting the Romanian Constitutional Court to annul the first round results and order a rerun. Russia has completely denied these allegations.
With Georgescu barred from running, the chances of a pro-European candidate winning the presidency have increased, raising concerns that relations between Romania and the United States could be negatively affected. Bloomberg reported, "The Trump administration showed great interest in the election and urged Romanian authorities to allow Georgescu's candidacy."
Elon Musk, Tesla CEO and a key figure in the Trump administration, also criticized the Constitutional Court's decision as "crazy" via the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
Georgescu was indicted on the 26th of last month on six charges including violation of constitutional order, incitement, membership in a fascist organization, and false statements related to election funding. If found guilty, he could be banned from running for public office. However, Georgescu denies all charges.
Ahead of the presidential rerun scheduled for May 4, Georgescu was leading overwhelmingly in polls with 40-45% support. He may appeal the Central Electoral Bureau's decision to the Constitutional Court.
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