The European Court of Human Rights on Tuesday rejected an appeal by Romania's far-right presidential candidate to overturn a domestic court decision to annul a December presidential election.

Europe's top rights court on Tuesday rejected Romanian far-right candidate Calin Georgescu's appeal against the annulment of the country's 2024 presidential election after he won the first round amid claims of Russian interference.

Călin Georgescu, the far-right candidate who emerged as the favourite at the first round of the annulled presidential election in December, is leading in an opinion poll based on him running in the vote rescheduled for May.

The unprecedented cancelation of Romania’s vote drew condemnation from across the political spectrum, including from Georgescu’s ideological foes. His would-be opponent in the now-canceled runoff, reformist candidate Elena Lasconi, said Romania’s democracy was being “trampled” by the state.

The leaders of the ruling coalition made up of the Social Democrats (PSD), Liberals (PNL), the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians (UDMR), and the minorities' group met on Wednesday evening, January 8,

Călin Georgescu, an independent far-right candidate with pro-Russian sympathies, surprisingly won the first round of the presidential election on 24 November. In response, Romania's Constitutional Court decided to annul the first round of the presidential election and order a full rerun, preventing the run-off from taking place.

Romanian far-right presidential election candidate Calin Georgescu delivers a press statement at the Bucharest Court of Appeal, in Bucharest, Romania, December 19, 2024. Inquam Photos/Octav Ganea via REUTERS/File Photo BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Romanian far-right pro-Russian presidential candidate Calin Georgescu remained voters' top choice ahead of a re-run of a presidential election in May,