Russian shadows over Bucharest: elections in Romania

Translated by Federico Emanuele

On March 6, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) dismissed the appeal of the winner of the annulled presidential elections, deeming it inadmissible. Călin Georgescu, an independent pro-Russian candidate, had surprisingly won the first round of the elections, which were later annulled in December by the Constitutional Court of Romania due to suspected foreign interference in the vote.

Călin Georgescu v. Romania

The nationalist candidate had appealed the annulment of the November 24 electoral process to the Strasbourg Court. His accusations against the decision of the Bucharest judges? Violation of the right to free elections, as well as freedom of expression and association, claiming that the decision of the Romanian Constitutional Court was illegitimate, disproportionate, and politically motivated. However, the ECHR ruled the accusations inadmissible and unfounded. 

On February 26, in Bucharest, Călin Georgescu was arrested.

"Actions against the constitutional order and electoral finance fraud"

This is the charge under which the far-right leader was detained for questioning by the Attorney General. His collaborators and bodyguards, led by Horațiu Potra, the so-called "Romanian Prigožin," were also searched. Potra manages a private mercenary company in Africa and has close ties with Moscow (including past connections with the Wagner Group). At Potra’s residence, authorities found illegally held weapons and €900,000 in cash. The arrest warrant was executed just as Georgescu was preparing to announce his new candidacy for the presidency. He was detained and questioned at the Attorney General’s office for five hours and is now under preventive detention, with a travel ban for 60 days. This decision has divided Romania, with some welcoming Georgescu's arrest with relief and others accusing the European Union of acting against the freedoms of Romanian citizens.
Prosecutors suspect that at least 27 people acted against Romania's constitutional order. The charges include "establishing a fascist organization, false statements about campaign funding sources, illegal possession of weapons, and public incitement to racism, fascism, and xenophobia." However, no direct mention of Georgescu or his associates has been made. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets to protest the arrest and show their support for the nationalist candidate. In a post on his Facebook profile, Georgescu wrote: "Where is democracy, where are the partners who are supposed to defend democracy?"

On March 7, he officially submitted his candidacy for the 2025 presidential elections.



TikTok and propaganda

More than 25,000 profiles, created in 2016 – coinciding with the U.S. presidential elections that first brought Donald Trump to power – and activated two weeks before the Romanian vote, were allegedly used to influence the outcome of the elections, with €380,000 spent on the operation.

TikTok’s role was reportedly decisive in the annulment of the elections. Intelligence agencies uncovered a TikTok campaign supporting Georgescu, coordinated through a Telegram group and launched two weeks before the vote. This operation, attributed to "non-state actors" – namely, Russia – and managed by "a highly effective digital marketing company," relied on paid influencers recruited through intermediary firms. The goal was to promote an "ideal candidate" in exchange for €80 per post for every "package" of 20,000 guaranteed followers. According to the Romanian Attorney General's office, there is a direct link between Russian funding and Georgescu’s campaign, orchestrated through a network of fake TikTok accounts that spread propaganda in his favor. Authorities believe this operation was planned by Russia. The Bucharest prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation. 

In December, the European Commission opened a formal proceeding against TikTok for alleged violations of the Digital Services Act, particularly concerning its failure to "assess and adequately mitigate systemic risks related to election integrity" in the context of the November 24, 2024, elections in Romania. The Commission will now conduct a priority in-depth investigation, collecting evidence through requests for information, monitoring, interviews, inspections, and access to algorithms. On December 5, a data and document preservation order was issued, requiring TikTok to provide relevant materials during the inquiry. The Digital Services Act does not set a legal deadline for concluding the formal proceeding. The duration of an in-depth investigation depends on various factors, including the complexity of the case, the extent of cooperation from the company, and the exercise of defense rights.

Moscow's candidate

Romania plunged into political chaos late last year when Georgescu won the first round of the presidential elections and was set to face reformist Elena Lasconi in a runoff. However, the Constitutional Court annulled the election results due to foreign interference in the electoral process. Citizens will return to the polls on May 4 to elect the President of Romania, with a potential runoff scheduled for May 18. The only certainty is the election date, while the list of candidates remains uncertain: Georgescu, a favorite of both Moscow and Washington (and Elon Musk), may be barred from running again. The presidential race candidates will be officially confirmed by March 15. 

The dilemma remains for an EU and NATO member state that is once again looking east: a Romania potentially more aligned with Moscow (and Washington) than with Brussels, closer to Vladimir Putin (and Donald Trump) than to European leaders.

The annulment of the electoral process could prove to be a double-edged sword for Romania’s democracy, caught between probable Russian interference and EU pressure to exclude Georgescu from the democratic process.




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