Calin Georgescu (C) addresses the media after registering his candidacy for presidential election at the Central Electoral Bureau in Bucharest, Romania, on March 7, 2025. (Photo by Cristian Cristel/Xinhua)

After Romania's Central Electoral Bureau announced its decision to deny Georgescu's independent candidacy, Georgescu's supporters held protests outside the BEC headquarters.

BUCHAREST, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Romania's Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) on Sunday rejected the candidacy of Calin Georgescu, a leading figure in the country's previous presidential race, for the 2025 presidential election.

The BEC announced its decision to deny Georgescu's independent candidacy but did not disclose specific reasons for the rejection.

Following the announcement, protests erupted outside the BEC headquarters, where Georgescu's supporters breached security fences. Law enforcement officers deployed tear gas to disperse the demonstrators attempting to push through the cordon.

Calin Georgescu (C) addresses the media after registering his candidacy for presidential election at the Central Electoral Bureau in Bucharest, Romania, on March 7, 2025. (Photo by Cristian Cristel/Xinhua)

Alongside Georgescu's case, the BEC reviewed the candidacies of Nicusor Dan, the Bucharest mayor, and two other independent candidates. According to the electoral calendar, the final decision on candidacy registrations must be made by March 17.

Rejected candidates have until March 18 to appeal to the Constitutional Court. The court will issue rulings that will be published in the Official Journal of Romania.

Georgescu, who advanced to the runoff in Romania's last presidential race, submitted his candidacy on Friday after the Constitutional Court annulled last year's presidential election results.

A man votes at a polling station in Mogosoaia, near Bucharest, Romania, Dec. 1, 2024. Romanian voters cast ballots for a new parliament on Sunday, shortly after the dark horse independent candidate Calin Georgescu's lead in the first round of the presidential election. More than 18 million Romanian citizens, including those living abroad, cast ballots to fill 332 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 137 in the Senate. (Photo by Cristian Cristel/Xinhua)

However, he was indicted on multiple charges last week and placed under judicial control, requiring him to report to authorities regularly.

The ruling coalition has scheduled the first round of the new presidential elections for May 4, 2025, with a potential runoff on May 18, 2025. ■