The Bucharest electoral office says it has validated 17 of the 20 candidacies running for the mayor of the Romanian capital.
It said it rejected two applications while one was postponed for further review. The deadline for submitting candidacies for the the December 6 election was Monday at midnight.
The frontrunners are Cătălin Drulă of the Save Romania Union (USR) party, the Liberal district 6 mayor Ciprian Ciucu, Social Democrat district 4 mayor Daniel Băluţă. There are several independent candidates such as George Valentin Burcea, Virgil Alexandru Zidaru, and Eugen Teodorovici.
Other validated candidates include Anca Nicoleta Alexandrescu of the “Dreptate pentru București” alliance, Ioan Mihai Lasca of the PPR, Ana-Maria Ciceală of SENS, and representatives from smaller parties such as PSDU, România în Acțiune, PNT-MM, and PRM.
The office rejected the candidacies of independent applicants Dumitrică Stan and ASR Marcu Maria, while the file submitted by independent Dan Cristian Popescu was postponed.
Challenges to the candidacies can be filed until November 19.
More than 1.8 million residents are expected to vote on December 7 to elect a general mayor who will serve the remainder of the mandate until the next local elections in 2028.
The position became vacant after former mayor Nicușor Dan was elected president of Romania in May. Deputy mayor Stelian Bujduveanu of the National Liberal Party currently holds the interim responsibilities.
Candidacies become final on November 23, with the two-week campaign period set to begin on November 22.
