Romania's Election Turmoil: Russian Influence and TikTok's Role

The U.S. voiced concerns over foreign interference in Romania's presidential election as declassified documents revealed 'aggressive hybrid Russian attacks.' Pro-Russia candidate Calin Georgescu surprisingly led. The U.S. stressed the importance of Romania's Western alliances while the EU ordered data preservation on TikTok's promotion of political content.

The United States has expressed serious concerns regarding the integrity of Romania's presidential election amid fears of foreign interference. Recently declassified documents have highlighted Russia's extensive hybrid attacks targeting Romania, which were particularly evident during three successive election rounds.

This revelation comes as pro-Russian ultranationalist Calin Georgescu unexpectedly surged to victory in the initial presidential election on November 24. The Romanian Security Council disclosed that Georgescu was heavily promoted on TikTok through coordinated accounts, recommendation algorithms, and paid promotions, despite his campaign declaring zero spending. Additionally, the documents reported compromised login data and over 85,000 cyberattacks on election websites, suggesting foreign involvement.

The U.S. State Department reiterated the significance of Romania's ongoing association with its Western allies, emphasizing that any deviation instigated by foreign actors could adversely affect U.S. security cooperation. Meanwhile, the European Commission ordered TikTok to preserve data related to its role in the election, as the platform is suspected of breaching terms of service prohibiting monetization for political content promotion.

(With inputs from agencies.)