Romania is holding a rerun of its presidential election on Sunday after the results of the initial vote in late November were annulled over allegations of foreign interference and electoral violations.

The country’s Constitutional Court invalidated the outcome, citing "irregularities," while officials accused Russia of launching "hybrid" attacks, including cyber operations—claims Moscow has firmly denied.

Independent right-wing candidate Calin Georgescu, known for his skepticism toward NATO, had led the first round with 23% of the vote. However, the court found his campaign had used undeclared funds and barred him from participating in the current election, citing what the Central Electoral Bureau called “anti-democratic” and “extremist” views, as well as procedural violations.

Intense electoral race

Eleven candidates are now vying for the presidency in the re-run. Leading the polls is George Simion, head of the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), who has voiced opposition to the European Union and criticized military support for Ukraine. He currently enjoys approximately 30% support.

Other key contenders include Crin Antonescu of the ruling Social Democrat-National Liberal coalition and Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan, both known for their pro-EU positions.

If no candidate secures an outright majority, a second-round runoff is scheduled for May 18.

Georgescu gets excluded from elections

Romania's electoral office sparked outrage among far-right candidate Calin Georgescu's supporters in Bucharest on March 9 by rejecting his nomination for a re-run of last year's presidential election in May, a decision that came after Georgescu's rapid rise to prominence and his unexpected victory in the first round of the presidential election last November.

Romania's Constitutional Court annulled the election before December's runoff, claiming Russian interference and heavy social media backing for Georgescu, who now faces allegations of campaign finance violations, ties to a fascist group, and support for war criminals, with authorities basing their decision on two merged criminal cases related to extremist activities.

Romanian authorities accused Israeli Minister for Diaspora Affairs Amichai Chikli on December 2 of interfering in domestic affairs after a public call with far-right candidate Calin Georgescu, which was shared extensively by far-right groups in Romania and globally.

Independent candidate Georgescu secured a surprise victory in the first round of the November 2024 presidential election, winning 22.94% of the vote. His closest rival, Elena Lasconi, leader of the liberal Save Romania Union and a strong advocate for NATO and US partnerships, trailed with 19.18%.