ROMANIA’S far-right presidential candidate Calin Georgescu slammed the country’s top court on Saturday after they annulled the first round of the vote in which he emerged as frontrunner.

The Constitutional Court on Friday cancelled the election after declassified intelligence alleged that Russia organised a social media campaign to promote Mr Georgescu.

“Today is Constitution Day and there is nothing constitutional in Romania any more. I am here in the name of democracy,” Mr Georgescu told the media in Mogosoaia, outside Bucharest. 

“By cancelling democracy, our very freedom is cancelled.”

The court cited the illegal use of digital technologies including artificial intelligence, as well as undeclared sources of funding.

Without naming Mr Georgescu, the court said one candidate received “preferential treatment” on social media platforms, distorting voters’ expressed will.

Despite being a huge outsider who declared zero campaign spending, Mr Georgescu topped the polls in the first round on November 24, and was due on Sunday to face Elena Lasconi of the Save Romania Union party in a run-off.

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said: “The Romanian constitution defines the framework within which the state and political life operate, serving as a shield against threats to democracy.”

New dates will be set to rerun the presidential vote from scratch.