Romanian Presidential Election Nullified Following Alleged Russian-Backed TikTok Campaign

The EU investigates TikTok's role in amplifying a pro-Russian far-right candidate as Romania grapples with election interference claims.

• Romania's Constitutional Court annulled the first round of its presidential election, citing widespread irregularities and foreign interference allegations.
• Pro-Russian far-right candidate Calin Georgescu surged from 1% to 23% in polls, largely attributed to a coordinated TikTok campaign leveraging fake accounts and influencers.
• Romanian intelligence linked the interference to a state actor, with evidence pointing to Russia’s involvement via cyberattacks and disinformation tactics.
• The European Commission has launched an investigation under the Digital Services Act to assess TikTok’s compliance with content management regulations.
• The controversy raises broader concerns about the vulnerability of European democracies to algorithmic manipulation and foreign influence in elections.

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