Romania's populist far-right politician George Simion made his bid Friday for the country's presidential election rerun in May as he seeks to rally nationalist voters after a controversial frontrunner in last year's annulled race was barred from entering the upcoming redo.

Romania's populist far-right politician George Simion is making his bid for the country's presidential election rerun in May as he seeks to rally nationalist voters after a controversial frontrunner was barred from the race last year.

Former Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta joined the race for May's presidential election re-run on Wednesday as the hard right worked to ensure they had a candidate in the contest after the ban on pro-Russian Calin Georgescu threw the vote wide open.

A top Romanian court has rejected an appeal by far-right politician Calin Georgescu to lift a ban on his candidacy in the presidential rerun

The leader of Romania’s largest far-right party will be allowed to take part in May’s presidential election after the previous frontrunner, whom he backed, was barred from the race.

Controversial Romanian politician Diana Sosoaca, who was barred by a top court from entering last year’s annulled presidential election, has filed her candidacy in an unlikely bid to enter in the May rerun.

By Iulian Ernst in Bucharest The leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), George Simion, will replace Calin Georgescu as the leading far-right candidate in the May presidential elections,