Romania’s central election authority barred far-right candidate Calin Georgescu from competing in May’s presidential election re-run, not the European Union, contrary to misleading posts online.

Romanian far-right populist Calin Georgescu has appealed the decision to bar him from running in the country’s presidential election rerun.

By Iulian Ernst in Bucharest The leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), George Simion, will replace Calin Georgescu as the leading far-right candidate in the May presidential elections,

Former Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta joined the race for May's presidential election re-run on Wednesday, throwing the contest wide open after pro-Russian far-right candidate Calin Georgescu was barred from running.

Protests erupted in downtown Bucharest following the Central Electoral Bureau's decision to ban Russian-backed far-right politician Calin Georgescu from running in the upcoming re-run presidential elections.

Controversial Romanian politician Diana Sosoaca, who was barred by a top court from entering last year’s annulled presidential election, has filed her candidacy in an unlikely bid to enter in the May rerun.

Romanian far-right presidential contender Calin Georgescu said on Monday he would challenge a decision to bar him from taking part in an election rerun in May, but analysts said his chances of standing were slim amid fears of Russian meddling.

Romania's populist far-right politician George Simion made his bid Friday for the country's presidential election rerun in May as he seeks to rally nationalist voters after a controversial frontrunner in last year's annulled race was barred from entering the upcoming redo.