Calin Georgescu, the far-right frontrunner in Romania’s presidential vote, has been barred from running in May’s election, in an explosive decision that sparked violence on the streets of Bucharest and came despite pressure from Washington to “listen” to voters’ demands.

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.

A top Romanian court has rejected an appeal by far-right politician Calin Georgescu to lift a ban on his candidacy in the presidential rerun

The country’s electoral commission ruled on Sunday that Calin Georgescu, an outspoken critic of Ukraine and NATO, could not compete in the do-over election.

Romanian far-right politician Calin Georgescu on Tuesday stopped short of endorsing any other potential candidate after being definitively barred from standing in May's presidential election rerun, adding to uncertainty over who would replace him.

Romania’s largest far-right party is scrambling to find a candidate after the independent front-runner it supported was barred from May’s presidential election.

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 Romanian constitutional court on Tuesday upheld a ban preventing the far-right candidate Călin Georgescu from participating in the country’s presidential election. The ruling, which is final, backed a decision by Romania’s electoral authority on Sunday to throw out Georgescu’s bid to run in May’s vote after he allegedly breached election rules.