Thousands Protest In Romania After Pro-Russian Candidate Win Annulled

BUCHAREST, Jan 10 (Bernama-dpa) -- Thousands of supporters of the right-wing candidate Călin Georgescu have taken to the streets in Romania to protest against the annulment of the country's presidential election, reported German news agency dpa.

Romania faces electoral turmoil after the first round of its presidential poll was annulled amid reports of Russian interference.

Protesters outside the Constitutional Court in the capital Bucharest are also demanding the resignation of the incumbent President Klaus Iohannis, Romanian media reported on Friday.

Pro-Russian candidate Georgescu unexpectedly won the first round of the presidential election at the end of November. 

However, the Constitutional Court declared the result invalid in early December, ordering a new election due to irregularities in the electoral process.

The court ruled that voters had been manipulated by the illegal preferential treatment of one candidate on social media.

New elections are planned for May 4, with a possible run-off vote scheduled for May 18.

Georgescu, little known until shortly before the election, had mainly used the TikTok social media platform to campaign.

Romania's government complained that Tiktok had failed to label Georgescu as a politician and his posts as election advertising. The public prosecutor's office is now investigating.

Georgescu has filed a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg over the cancellation. 

Attempts to take action in the Romanian courts were unsuccessful, although an appeal to the Supreme Court remains possible.

-- BERNAMA-dpa