Romania's Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) has barred far-right politician Călin Georgescu from the upcoming rerun of the presidential election, citing violations of democratic standards and undisclosed financial backing associated with foreign organizations.

Georgescu, who unexpectedly led in the first round of the initial election, had those results invalidated by the Constitutional Court due to suspected Russian meddling, which included claims of coordinated online campaigns and cyberattacks on electoral systems.

The BEC's ruling to exclude Georgescu from the May election rerun has led to protests in Bucharest, with his supporters clashing with police.

Georgescu has contested the disqualification in the Constitutional Court, claiming that the prohibition undermines democratic values.

Reactions from the international community have varied.

Russian officials condemned the decision, calling it a breach of democratic principles and questioning the legitimacy of the upcoming elections without Georgescu's involvement.

As Romania prepares for the rescheduled presidential elections, the political atmosphere remains charged, with the first round scheduled for May 4 and a possible runoff on May 18.