Romania's electoral bureau on Sunday rejected far-right hopeful Calin Georgescu's candidacy for the re-run of last year's annulled presidential election, sparking outrage among his supporters in Bucharest.
Georgescu -- a past admirer of Russian President Vladimir Putin and an EU and NATO critic -- shot to prominence almost overnight to unexpectedly win the first round of a presidential election last November.
But in a shock move Romania's constitutional court annulled the ballot shortly before the second round was to be held in December, after claims of Russian meddling and a "massive" social media promotion of Georgescu.
In a statement Sunday, the electoral bureau said it had adopted "the rejection of the registration of the independent candidacy" of Georgescu for May's re-run, without giving its reasons for doing so.
Georgescu, who is currently leading opinion polls with about 40 percent of the vote, can challenge the decision at Romania's constitutional court.
He denounced the move on X as "a direct blow to the heart of democracy worldwide".
"Europe is now a dictatorship, Romania is under tyranny!," he added.
The ruling sparked clashes between supporters of Georgescu and police in the capital Bucharest, with authorities trying to disperse them as one of the officers got injured with a blunt object.
Several hundred people gathered in front of the building of the electoral commission on Sunday evening, shouting "Down with dictatorship!" and hurling Romanian flags.
"Following a decision of the Central Electoral Bureau, participants of a public gathering... broke through the cordon of gendarmes in order to enter the headquarters of the institution," police said
"The situation is under control now," police spokesperson Marius Militaru told Digi24 TV.
US support
Romania has been plunged into political turmoil since the first round of the presidential election in late November, with Georgescu, who was barely known until then, bagging a surprise win.
In a rare move for a European Union member country, its constitutional court annulled the vote following claims of Russian meddling.
In recent weeks, tens of thousands of Georgescu's supporters have taken to the streets, while Romanian authorities warned of "hybrid actions carried out by the Russian Federation to undermine democracy in Romania".
Georgescu -- who denies any links to Moscow -- has denounced the annulment as a "formalised coup d'etat".
He is opposed to sending aid to Ukraine while presenting himself as "ultra pro" US President Donald Trump.
Last week, prosecutors indicted Georgescu on numerous charges, including making "false statements" over his campaign financing, as well as "instigation to actions against the constitutional order, in attempted form".
He has been placed under judicial control, meaning he will have to report to authorities regularly.
But senior members of the US administration have recently thrown their weight behind Georgescu.
"This is crazy!," Trump adviser Elon Musk wrote on X on Sunday in response to the electoral commission's decision, after already making several comments of support in recent weeks.
US Vice President JD Vance criticised Romanian authorities for "cancelling elections because you don't like the result", claiming they are "so afraid of your own people that you silence them".
Encouraged by such statements, demonstrators at a recent rally in Bucharest held up banners reading "Mr. President Trump, we need your help to take our country back" and "Romania wants peace".
Standing in the front row was retiree Valeria Cristache, who waved her flag and blasted EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, shouting with the crowd: "Ursula, don't forget Romania is not yours!".
Ani Sandu, with AFP
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