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Romania’s Electoral Bureau refuses to approve Georgescu as presidential candidate

According to the Agerpress news agency, clashes between Calin Georgescu’s supporters and the police erupted near the building of the Central Electoral Bureau immediately after its decision was made public

BUCHAREST, March 9. /TASS/. Romania’s Central Electoral Bureau has refused to approve Calin Georgescu as candidate for Romanian president in the May 4 election, leader of the opposition Alliance for the Union of Romanians George Simion said on his Facebook page (Facebook is banned in Russia due to its ownership by Meta, which has been designated as extremist).

According to the local mass media, ten out of 14 members of the Central Electoral Bureau voted against approving Georgescu as a presidential candidate. However, he can challenge this decision with the country’s Constitutional Court by March 18. Earlier in the day, the Central Electoral Bureau approved Bucharest’s mayor, Nicisor Dan, as candidate for president.

According to the Agerpress news agency, clashes between Georgescu’s supporters and the police erupted near the building of the Central Electoral Bureau immediately after its decision was made public. The protesters who were chanting Away with Dictatorship and Georgescu - President, tore down fences around the building. Additional police forces were deployed to the area and blocked nearby streets. The police used tear gas to disperse the crowd.

Romania's former independent presidential candidate, Georgescu, on Friday formally registered for the election after the outcome of the previous vote was cancelled. The Prosecutor General's Office opened a criminal case against him and brought six charges, the main one being inciting action against the constitutional order.

Georgescu won the previous vote, which was held on November 24, 2024. On December 6, the Constitutional Court voided the election outcome and ordered a new vote. This decision took place after the Romanian intelligence service declassified documents revealing, among other things, that Georgescu had illegally financed his campaign. The government took the ruling under advisement and set the elections for May 4.

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