Romania's Political Crossroads: ECHR Rejects Far-Right Candidate Appeal

The European Court of Human Rights rejected Romanian far-right candidate Calin Georgescu's appeal against the annulment of December's presidential election. Despite allegations of Russian interference, a re-run is scheduled for May. The political landscape is polarized, with pro-European and Russia-friendly sentiments influencing voter opinions and Romania's future alliances.

The European Court of Human Rights has rejected an appeal by Romania's far-right presidential candidate, Calin Georgescu, to overturn a domestic court's decision to annul the December presidential election. Georgescu, who led after the first round, faced allegations of Russian interference in his favor, which Moscow denies.

Despite failing to reverse the decision domestically, Georgescu turned to the top human rights court, which ruled outside its remit. An opinion poll by Avangarde indicated that Georgescu still leads voter preference with 38% for the May re-run, raising concerns about a possible shift in Romania's pro-Western policies.

Although Georgescu's potential candidacy is uncertain, given previous court bans on other far-right politicians, most Romanians still favor EU and NATO alliances. The Inscop survey found 87.5% support for Euro-Atlantic connections, reflecting a divide between public opinion and political unrest.

(With inputs from agencies.)