Romania’s 2025 Presidential Elections: A Case Study in Hybrid Warfare
Romania’s recent presidential elections serve as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of democratic processes to sophisticated disinformation campaigns and hybrid warfare tactics. The 2024 election cycle, ultimately annulled due to “Russian hybrid actions,” saw a rapid rise in support for a far-right, pro-Russian candidate, Călin Georgescu, fueled by a torrent of manipulative content spread primarily through platforms like TikTok and Telegram. This surge, seemingly orchestrated from outside Romania’s borders, exposed critical weaknesses in the country’s defenses against foreign interference and highlighted the urgent need for comprehensive strategies to counter such threats.
The manipulation of social media algorithms played a crucial role in Georgescu’s unexpected success. Global Witness investigations revealed that TikTok’s algorithms disproportionately favored far-right content, feeding politically balanced new users three times more extremist material than any other type. This algorithmic bias, coupled with the coordinated deployment of thousands of bot accounts and channels, created a perfect storm of disinformation, amplifying divisive narratives and undermining public trust in the electoral process. The Constitutional Court’s unprecedented decision to annul the election, while controversial, underscored the gravity of the situation and the perceived threat to Romania’s democratic integrity.
The disinformation campaign targeting Romania exploited existing societal fault lines and anxieties. Narratives centered around the “death of democracy,” “rigged elections,” and the threat of “foreign intervention” resonated with segments of the population disillusioned with traditional politics. These messages, often intertwined with appeals to ultra-conservative values and fears of a global conspiracy against traditional Christian values, further polarized public opinion and created fertile ground for the acceptance of extremist ideologies. Ironically, while Russia was actively interfering in the elections, disinformation campaigns simultaneously pointed fingers at Western powers, fueling anti-Western sentiment and deepening existing societal divisions.
Adding to the complexity of the situation, the conflict in Ukraine became a focal point for disinformation efforts. Exploiting Romania’s historically complex relationship with Ukraine, pro-Russian narratives fanned the flames of xenophobia and stoked fears of being drawn into a direct war with Russia. These narratives, combined with the promotion of a “strongman” figure capable of resisting foreign influence, tapped into pre-existing anxieties and resonated with those yearning for a return to perceived national greatness and sovereignty. This yearning for strong leadership echoes the allure of authoritarian figures in other countries and reflects a broader challenge to democratic values in the region.
The Romanian experience offers critical lessons for other democracies facing similar threats. It underscores the need for proactive measures to build societal resilience against disinformation and to strengthen the integrity of online spaces. Traditional debunking efforts are no longer sufficient. Instead, a multi-pronged approach is required, encompassing media literacy education, pre-bunking techniques to proactively inoculate citizens against manipulative narratives, and greater collaboration between governments, social media platforms, and civil society organizations. The EU, in particular, has a crucial role to play in fostering cross-border cooperation, sharing best practices, and developing a coordinated response to this growing threat.
Ultimately, combating disinformation and hybrid warfare requires addressing the underlying societal conditions that make such tactics effective. In Romania, decades of corruption, distrust in authorities, and unequal regional development have created a fertile ground for extremist ideologies. Therefore, alongside efforts to counter disinformation, it is essential to address these root causes by promoting good governance, strengthening democratic institutions, and ensuring that the needs of all citizens are heard and addressed. Only by tackling both the symptoms and the underlying causes can democracies effectively defend themselves against these increasingly sophisticated forms of manipulation and interference.