Romania Grapples with Disinformation Deluge Ahead of Presidential Election Redo
Romania finds itself in the throes of a pervasive online disinformation campaign as the country prepares for a crucial presidential election rerun on May 4th. This wave of manipulated narratives, attributed to unidentified anti-government and pro-Russian actors, paints a grim picture of how social media platforms can be weaponized to sow discord, amplify anti-Western sentiments, and undermine democratic processes. The situation serves as a stark warning for other democracies within the European Union facing similar vulnerabilities.
The initial round of the presidential election last November saw a shock victory for Calin Georgescu, a fringe far-right populist. Allegations of electoral irregularities and a Russian-backed disinformation campaign promoting Georgescu quickly surfaced. Declassified intelligence reports revealed a sophisticated, coordinated effort to manipulate public opinion through platforms like TikTok. Moscow denied any involvement, but Romania’s Constitutional Court annulled the vote and ordered a new election. Georgescu, an admirer of Vladimir Putin and a critic of NATO and the EU, subsequently faced a criminal investigation and was barred from participating in the May rerun, triggering violent protests in Bucharest by his supporters.
The unfolding events in Romania alarmed Brussels, prompting the European Commission to launch an investigation into TikTok’s alleged failure to address risks to the election integrity. The probe focuses on whether TikTok violated the EU’s Digital Services Act, given the platform’s extensive reach among Romanian voters. TikTok responded by stating they had dismantled covert influence operations targeting Romanians, removing thousands of accounts involved in promoting Georgescu and his party. Additionally, TikTok implemented measures to protect election integrity, including expanding their Romanian-speaking content moderation team and collaborating with local fact-checkers. However, these efforts were insufficient to stem the tide of disinformation, which spread beyond TikTok to other platforms like Telegram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Disinformation, unlike misinformation, is specifically designed to deceive and manipulate. In Romania, purveyors of disinformation have employed emotionally charged narratives, exploiting feelings of betrayal, injustice, and existential threat to erode public trust in democratic institutions and construct an alternate political reality. The annulment of the election has been falsely portrayed as a coup orchestrated by the EU, global elites, and intelligence agencies, casting Romania as a victim of Western control. Other fabricated narratives warn of an impending war with Russia, predict the imposition of martial law and conscription, and aim to stoke fear and anxiety.
The Romanian government’s perceived lack of transparency in explaining the reasons behind the election annulment has exacerbated the problem, creating a vacuum filled by disinformation. This lack of accountability further fuels distrust, allowing malicious actors to exploit the uncertainty and promote conspiratorial narratives. Expert analysis suggests that online political campaigning has entered a new phase dominated by coordinated inauthentic networks designed to simulate grassroots support and manipulate public perception.
The EU recognizes foreign interference and disinformation as a growing threat to security and foreign policy. Romania’s experience mirrors similar disinformation campaigns observed during the EU parliamentary elections and in Moldova, highlighting a pattern of interference in democratic processes. Analysis of online discourse related to the pro-Georgescu protests revealed a significant proportion of fake accounts artificially amplifying outrage and creating a false impression of widespread support. While social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) claim to proactively monitor and remove harmful content, concerns remain about their effectiveness, particularly given the platform’s evolution under Elon Musk’s ownership.
Romanian authorities have intensified efforts to combat disinformation in the lead-up to the election, ordering the removal of hundreds of online posts containing unverified content, mislabeled political ads, and potentially influential posts by private citizens. This delicate balancing act between protecting freedom of expression and defending democracy against manipulation has drawn criticism, with some accusing the election bureau of censorship. Amidst this complex landscape, the upcoming election serves as a critical test for Romania’s democratic resilience in the face of an increasingly sophisticated disinformation ecosystem. The outcome of the election will undoubtedly shape the country’s political trajectory and its relationship with both the East and the West.