Police were seen erecting barriers around the building and hundreds of demonstrators gathered to protest.

Prosecutors said Georgescu was also being investigated for giving “false information, false statements” and for setting up an organisation with “fascist, racist or xenophobic characteristics” as well as forming an antisemitic organisation.

The severity of the indictment could jeopardise Georgescu’s bid to run in the presidential election on 4 and 18 May.

He has been placed under judicial control and told not to leave Romania, according to reports. As he left the prosecutor’s office, Georgescu told supporters he would continue to fight and that there was “no difference between the communist mentality and system [that collapsed in 1989] and now”.

The original presidential vote was cancelled before the second round last December, after the then president, Klaus Iohannis declassified intelligence documents that suggested that hundreds of TikTok accounts had been activated backing Georgescu.

Romanian foreign intelligence said Russia had been behind the move, as well as thousands of cyber-attacks and other sabotage.

Iohannis had decided to stay in office until a successor was elected, but he resigned earlier this month ahead of an impeachment vote.