A far-right Romanian populist, Calin Georgescu, has lost his appeal after being barred from running in the country’s May presidential election.
Georgescu had won the first round of last year’s presidential election, winning just under a quarter of the vote. However, the second round was cancelled, with Georgescu being accused of having been supported by Russia. The Kremlin has denied any links with Georgescu.
The election was rescheduled, with Georgescu now being barred from participating by the country’s electoral body. Georgescu appealed the decision, but the country’s constitutional court found against him.
Georgescu was quoted as saying: “If you want to support anyone by signing new lists for the presidential campaign, please do as your conscience tells you. It seems democracy and freedom are taking their last breath these days. But we need to show now, more than any other time, that our choice matters in a peaceful and democratic way.”
A number of Georgescu’s supporters protested outside the court, saying that this was a sign Romania was becoming a dictatorship.
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