This analysis was published on 20 December 2024 in Czech. Romania re-ran its presidential election in May 2025.
When Călin Georgescu appeared on Romania's political scene, few people had any idea who he really was. A former diplomat and nationalist known for his pro-Russian and anti-Western views, he had long been an outsider. His calls for Romania to leave the EU and NATO and his glorification of controversial historical figures kept him on the margins of public attention. Then came the TikTok campaign – and within a few weeks an unknown candidate became the winner of the first round of the presidential election.
How TikTok changed the rules of the game in Romania's election
Romania found itself at the epicentre of hybrid war. Social media, until then a symbol of entertainment and creativity, became a tool of manipulation and influence operations in the 2024 presidential election. A candidate nobody had heard of a few months earlier won the first round thanks to a carefully planned TikTok campaign. How did it happen?
Who is Călin Georgescu?
Only a few months ago, Călin Georgescu was a relatively unknown politician. He stood out for his far-right views, his open criticism of the EU and NATO, and his glorification of figures associated with fascism. He was an admirer of Vladimir Putin and called for Romania to withdraw from international organisations he considered harmful.
For a long time his views resonated only in fringe communities – among ultranationalists, fundamentalist Christians and pro-Russian activists. Then came his TikTok campaign, which turned him into a viral phenomenon.
The TikTok explosion
TikTok played a key role in Georgescu's campaign. Thousands of videos with a simple message, emotive visuals and controversial rhetoric flooded the platform. Hashtags such as #MakeRomaniaGreatAgain and #GeorgescuForPresident went viral and reached masses of people looking for an alternative to the traditional political parties.
The videos came across as spontaneous and authentic. In reality, they were part of a carefully managed hybrid operation. 25,000 fake accounts activated shortly before the election spread Georgescu's videos, commented on them and boosted their reach.
Hybrid war and the Russian trail
According to the Romanian intelligence services, Georgescu's campaign was backed by Russia. This support included:
- Manipulating TikTok's algorithms to favour pro-Russian content.
- Hacking the election infrastructure, which called the transparency of the vote into question.
- Illegal campaign financing through third parties.
While Georgescu claimed he had not known about Russia's support, the published documents showed the exact opposite.
The Constitutional Court and the annulment of the election
On 6 December, the Constitutional Court annulled the results of the first round of the presidential election. The ruling was based on declassified documents pointing to large-scale manipulation. The election had to be restarted from scratch, which plunged the country into political chaos.
The presidential election was not the only problem, however. A parliamentary election took place in the same period, in which the far right won more than a third of the seats. This polarised Romanian society even further.
Europe responds
The European Commission immediately opened an investigation into TikTok. It is focusing above all on:
- Recommender algorithms – how could they have been manipulated?
- Political advertising – why was it not labelled, and how did it manage to get around the platform's rules?
Under the Digital Services Act (DSA), TikTok faces a fine of up to 6% of its annual turnover, or even a ban on operating in the EU. Ursula von der Leyen stressed that protecting democratic processes must be a priority for all platforms.
Did the institutions fail, or the system?
The Romanian case has shown how vulnerable democratic processes can be in the digital age. TikTok is not the only platform under pressure. Meta and Telegram have also been accused of serving as tools of hybrid manipulation.
But the problem goes beyond technology. Romanian institutions failed in their role as guarantors of transparent elections. Public trust in politics and the judiciary is at a historic low.
Austria: an accomplice to the crisis?
According to the historian Oliver Jens Schmitt, Austria's policy also contributed to Georgescu's success. "Austria's blocking of Romania's entry into the Schengen Area left many Romanians feeling humiliated," he explains. The move strengthened anti-EU sentiment and contributed to the success of the populists.
Austrian companies, particularly in the forestry industry, have also been linked to illegal logging, which further undermined Romanians' trust in Western institutions. "The slogan 'The Austrians are stealing our forests' became a symbol of distrust towards the EU," Schmitt adds.
European responsibility
Romania's election showed how easily democratic processes can be destabilised, not only in one country but across the whole EU. If Europe does not learn its lesson, hybrid war waged through social media may soon become a problem in other member states too.
The story of Georgescu's campaign offers a broad view of the future of political marketing. Who will be the next "TikTok candidate"? And what does it mean for democracy? Join us in looking for answers.
