TENS of thousands took to the streets of Romania’s capital, Bucharest, on Sunday against a top court’s decision last month to annul the presidential election.

The protest comes a month after the Constitutional Court made the unprecedented move to annul the election just two days before a December 8 run-off. 

The far-right candidate Calin Georgescu shocked many when he won the first round on November 24, after which allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference emerged.

Mr Georgescu has since challenged the court’s decision at a local appeals court and lodged a complaint at the European Court of Human Rights.

Many of the demonstrators in Bucharest honked horns and waved Romania’s blue, yellow and red flags, while others brandished placards bearing slogans such as “Democracy is not optional” and “We want free elections.”

Many also demanded the resumption of the presidential race from the second round.

New dates have been set to rerun the vote with the first round scheduled for May 4. If no candidate obtains more than 50 per cent of the ballot, a run-off would be held two weeks later on May 18. 

The Constitutional Court’s published decision to annul the elections cited the illegal use of digital technologies including artificial intelligence, as well as the use of “undeclared sources” of funding. 

Mr Georgescu had declared zero campaign spending.