Calin Georgescu, the far-right frontrunner in Romania’s presidential vote, has been barred from running in May’s election, in an explosive decision that sparked violence on the streets of Bucharest and came despite pressure from Washington to “listen” to voters’ demands.

Last week, Romanian authorities expelled two Russian diplomats, military attaché Victor Makovskiy and his deputy Evgeny Ignatiev, who were accused of foreign election interference tied to Mr. Georgescu’s campaign.

Romanian conservative presidential candidate Călin Georgescu has been barred from participating in May’s rerun of the presidential election.