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. The top court's ruling is final and binding.

"I want to tell you that all challenges were rejected unanimously," said CCR president Marian Enache upon leaving the meeting room, as quoted by news agency Agerpres.

Georgescu, the Russia-friendly politician who surprisingly emerged as the first-round winner of last year's annulled presidential elections, submitted his candidacy for the repeat poll on Friday, March 7. However, two days later, on Sunday evening, the Central Electoral Bureau rejected his file, which triggered violent protests in downtown Bucharest. 

In a statement explaining its decision, the Electoral Bureau emphasized that presidential candidates must "respect the Constitution and defend democracy," criteria Călin Georgescu fails to meet. The bureau also pointed out that the Constitutional Court had previously annulled an election due to Georgescu, making his candidacy automatically invalid.

The leader of far-right opposition party AUR, George Simion, who has been backing Georgescu in his presidential bid, was among the first to react to CCR's decision. In a post on X, he said, "What a disgrace! Once again, the Constitutional Court is mocking the Romanian people, is attacking our democracy and our essential rights & freedoms. We stand with Călin Georgescu!”

USR leader Elena Lasconi, who was supposed to face Georgescu in the second round of the 2024 presidential elections and is expected to run again this year, also reacted to the news, saying, “I hope the CCR's decision is just a first step. Călin Georgescu must be held criminally accountable for all the atrocities he has been accused of in recent months, and the institutions that have been brought to their knees by the wave of disinformation must be restored and regain credibility! Romanians need to regain their trust in institutions!”

Meanwhile, hundreds of Georgescu's supporters again gathered in Bucharest, this time in front of the CCR building. The crowd began booing when reports about the top court's decision emerged, chanting slogans such as "Liberty" and trying to draw international attention by shouting in globally spoken languages, including "Raus Von der Leyen," according to Euronews Romania. 

Earlier on Tuesday, Russian president Vladimir Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that any presidential election in Romania that takes place without the participation of Călin Georgescu is "illegitimate," Politico Europe reported. "This is a violation of all democratic norms in the center of Europe," he stated.

Most of the recent polls were showing Georgescu as the possible winner of the elections. However, he is currently facing a criminal probe, being investigated under judicial supervision. On February 26, the General Prosecutor's Office announced that legal proceedings had been initiated against him for multiple offenses, including incitement to actions against constitutional order, spreading false information, falsifying financial disclosure statements regarding campaign funding, initiating or supporting fascist, racist, or xenophobic organizations, and publicly promoting the cult of individuals convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Romania holds presidential elections on May 4, followed by a run-off on May 18. The deadline for submitting presidential candidacies is March 15. 

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/George Calin)