Romanian Presidential Elections: Strategies Employed by Authorities to Combat Voting Fraud

Time for a Rematch: The 2024 Romanian Presidential Election Re-Do, Unraveling the Suspicious TikTok Manipulation

Romania's political landscape is heating up again, as the country prepares for a re-do of its presidential election, scheduled for May 4. The original election, held on November 24, was stunned when extreme-right candidate Calin Georgescu unexpectedly took the lead, thanks in part to a well-coordinated campaign on the social media platform TikTok. But just two days before the second round, the election was inexplicably annulled by Romania's Constitutional Court, plunging the country into a political crisis and raising concerns of Russian influence.

Now, the question on everyone's mind: What exactly happened during that shady TikTok campaign?

The Social Media Strategy that Rocked Romania

In order to understand the measures that have been put in place, let's rewind to November. With only 1% of voting intentions in polls conducted four weeks before the election, Georgescu came out on top in the first round. His unconventional, anti-establishment campaign relied heavily on social media, with TikTok being a key player. According to a report by French organization Viginum that investigates foreign digital interferences, authorities found strong evidence of a "blatantly aggressive promotional campaign" that violated electoral legislation and manipulated algorithms to artificially inflate Georgescu's popularity on TikTok.

Over 27,000 fake TikTok accounts, many relying on Russian email services and Turkish IP addresses, were created to boost Georgescu's visibility. This coordinated effort generated more than 2.1 million comments in a short time frame, flooding TikTok with pro-Georgescu content right before the vote. This digital onslaught helped propel Georgescu to a surprising first-place finish.

A Market for Deception

TikTok isn't the only platform where skulduggery occurred. Authorities also found evidence of similar manipulation on Facebook and Instagram, targeting the Meta group's platforms. The goal: created a marketing frenzy surrounding Georgescu, portraying him as a trustworthy and patriotic candidate.

The Aftershock

The Great TikTok Manipulation eventually caught the attention of the European Commission, which launched an investigation into TikTok for failing to detect problematic content during the 2024 electoral campaign. However, TikTok claims it had taken action, moderating inauthentic accounts between December 2024 and January 2025.

Romanian Resistance to Digital Interference

In response to the troll farm scuffle, Romanian authorities have stepped up their surveillance efforts on social media platforms. The National Audiovisual Council (CNA), an institution previously focused on traditional media, is now monitoring social networks closely, looking for signs of electoral manipulation and disinformation. According to the CNA, they have been sanctioning several videos every day since the official start of the new electoral campaign in March.

Moreover, Romanian authorities are working closely with major platforms like TikTok and Meta to prevent future manipulation attempts. Platform representatives met with Romanian regulatory authorities to discuss various scenarios and develop strategies to tackle possible disinformation campaigns.

A Crooked Candidate and a Country on Edge

Despite his legal troubles and his previous run for the presidency being canceled, Calin Georgescu is no longer eligible to participate in the 2024 election. However, his shadow looms large over the electoral landscape, and the country remains wary of foreign-backed digital meddling.

Four main candidates will compete in the May 4 first round: George Simion, leader of the extreme-right party AUR; Nicusor Dan, the current mayor of Bucharest; Crin Antonescu, who represents the pro-European Union government coalition; Victor Ponta, a former prime minister from the democratic party; and Elena Lasconi, president of the opposition party Save Romania Union. The two candidates who receive the most votes will face each other in the second round on May 18.

Stay tuned as Romania charges forward in its quest for a new leader, weathering the storms of digital deception while determining an authentic path to political stability.

The Romanian government is evaluating the unfolded shady TikTok campaign during the 2024 presidential election.
Unthinkable as it may seem, a Romanian extreme-right candidate, Calin Georgescu, took the lead in the 2024 presidential election due to a well-coordinated campaign on TikTok.
The TikTok campaign that boosted Georgescu's popularity was found to have broken electoral laws and manipulated algorithms.
Over 27,000 fake TikTok accounts, some using Russian email services and Turkish IP addresses, were created to inflate Georgescu's popularity.
Authorities uncovered evidence of similar manipulation on Facebook and Instagram, targeting the Meta group's platforms.
The European Commission investigated TikTok for failing to detect problematic content during the 2024 electoral campaign.
TikTok claims it had taken action, moderating inauthentic accounts between December 2024 and January 2025.
Romanian authorities have stepped up their surveillance efforts on social media platforms to prevent electoral manipulation and disinformation.
The National Audiovisual Council (CNA) is closely monitoring social networks for signs of manipulation and disinformation.
TikTok and Meta platform representatives met with Romanian regulatory authorities to discuss disinformation campaigns.
Calin Georgescu is no longer eligible to participate in the 2024 election, but his shadow continues to loom over the electoral landscape.
Romania's 2024 presidential election features five main candidates: George Simion, Nicusor Dan, Crin Antonescu, Victor Ponta, and Elena Lasconi.
The two candidates who receive the most votes in the May 4 first round will face each other in the second round on May 18.
Politicians and citizens alike are concerned about foreign-backed digital meddling in the Romanian presidential election.
The Romanian government aims to maintain policy and legislation that supports public integrity and stability.
Entertainment figures from movies-and-tv, celebrity culture, and even pop-culture have been closely monitoring the Romanian election developments.
Sci-fi-and-fantasy novels have been used as sources of inspiration for political analysts to predict potential outcomes and strategies.
General news outlets worldwide have been covering the Romanian election re-do, following its twists and turns.
Crime-and-justice journalism outlets have been investigating any possible links between the TikTok manipulation and foreign entities.
Accidents, fires, and other unexpected incidents have taken a back seat in the news cycle due to the election's dominance.
The sports world has paid close attention to the Romanian election, as political stability can impact policies like sports betting.
Football, soccer, Champions League, NFL, WNBA, baseball, hockey, golf, and other sports take a keen interest in the 2024 Romanian election.
European leagues and basketball associations have shown solidarity with Romania in the face of digital deception.
NBA, Masters, Grand Prix, Horse Racing, and weather updates are still being covered but receive less attention due to the election flux.
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and auto-racing enthusiasts have been tuned in, awaiting any potential impact on their sports from the election outcome.
Weather forecasting, including updates on Serie A, Laliga, Ncaa Football, Tennis, Sports Analysis, and premier league updates, are still being followed, although they have been somewhat overshadowed by the political events in Romania.