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.

A top Romanian court on Tuesday rejected an appeal by far-right politician Calin Georgescu to lift a ban on his candidacy for the rerun in May of Romania's presidential election, after the same court annulled last year's election in which Georgescu won the first round.

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,

Romania's top court upheld a decision to ban far-right candidate Calin Georgescu from standing in a presidential election rerun in May, it said on Tuesday, leaving his allies with four days to find a replacement.

The ban on Calin Georgescu running in Romania's May 4 presidential election has deepened existing political divisions, sparked protests, and raised concerns over Romania’s democratic future.

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

Romanian authorities have barred far-right pro-Russian candidate Calin Georgescu from taking part in May's rerun of a cancel led presidential election, prompting him on Monday to say he would challenge the decision at the Constitutional Court.