Bucharest "on fire"; Thousands of people on their feet PHOTO/VIDEO

Last night, his supporters tried to tear down the fence in front of the CEC, and in the center of Bucharest they clashed with the police, who were pelted with stones, firecrackers and bottles, Romanian media reported.

In the conflict with Georgescu's supporters, several gendarmes were injured, and the police also used tear gas, the Digi24 portal reported.

As the gendarmerie in Bucharest announced, some of the demonstrators threw blunt objects at the police in front of the CEC headquarters.

The statement of the gendarmerie also states that some of the demonstrators in front of the CEC headquarters broke the stone used to pave the street and threw it at the police, as well as that the demonstrators overturned the car of that Romanian portal.

Photos from the scene show that a fire has been lit in the city center, where demonstrations are taking place.

Earlier yesterday, the Romanian CEC made a decision to reject the candidacy of the independent right-wing candidate  Călin Georgescu in the presidential elections because, as it announced, "he does not meet the requirements of legality as he violated the obligation to defend democracy."

Georgescu characterized that decision as a "direct blow" to democracy, according to the BBC.

After the CEC's decision,  Călin Georgescu has 24 hours to file a formal appeal to the Constitutional Court, which has 48 hours to make a final decision.

The presidential elections in Romania are scheduled for May 4, after the results of the first round, in which Georgescu won the most votes, were annulled in December last year, with the explanation that he violated the rules on campaign financing, and documents were published, according to Romanian media, which stated that the electoral process was allegedly influenced by a strong Russian campaign of hybrid attacks.

Georgescu (62) was arrested on February 26 when he wanted to run for office in the summer elections, for which tens of thousands of Romanians marched through the streets of Bucharest in protest.

Georgescu is accused of attempting to overthrow the constitutional order and membership in a neo-fascist organization, while he denies any wrongdoing.

He won the first round of last year's election, but the results were annulled just days before the second round of voting.

The key to his sudden popularity was his promise to "restore Romania's dignity" and end its subservience to international organizations, including NATO and the EU.