In his appeal to the court, Georgescu — whose original candidacy was allegedly boosted by a Russia-backed TikTok influence operation — insisted that his expulsion from the election do-over could permanently suppress his constitutional right to stand for election.

Far-right populist Călin Georgescu cannot run in Romania's May presidential elections after the Constitutional Court (CCR) rejected on Tuesday, March 11, all challenges against the Central Electoral Bureau's (BEC) decision to invalidate his candidacy.

Romanian far-right populist Calin Georgescu has lost his appeal against a ruling barring him from participating in the country’s presidential election in May. The Constitutional Court issued the final ruling on Tuesday after deliberating for two hours,

Far-right Romanian presidential candidate Călin Georgescu has lodged an appeal at the constitutional court after his bid for a May rerun was thrown out on the grounds that he was in breach of democratic rules.

Far-right, pro-Russia politician Călin Georgescu responded on Tuesday evening, March 11, after the Constitutional Court (CCR) upheld a decision to ban him from running in the upcoming presidential elections.

The country’s Central Electoral Bureau rejected his candidacy Sunday, saying Georgescu had violated Romania’s election rules while coming out of nowhere to win the first round of the presidential vote last November, partly on the back of a wildly successful TikTok campaign.

Romania’s largest far-right party is scrambling to find a candidate after the independent front-runner it supported was barred from May’s presidential election.

It’s a close question, given the role of Russia and the tender age of the country’s democracy.