Romania election interference

Romanian TikTok Influencers Flee Amid Election Interference Probe

Following President Iohannis’ release of intelligence documents exposing a pro-Russia campaign on TikTok, Romanian authorities have launched wide-ranging investigations into the finances of presidential candidate Georgescu and his supporters. Raids targeting alleged mercenaries and backers have ensued, alongside tax investigations into campaign funding. Key figures, including several TikTok influencers with alleged organized crime ties, have since left the country. These influencers, who received payments for promoting Georgescu’s nationalist agenda, are implicated in a sophisticated campaign to sway the election.

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Romania Election: Russian Cyberattacks and TikTok Bot Campaign Propel Far-Right Candidate

Romania’s presidential election has been targeted by a significant influence campaign and cyberattacks, allegedly orchestrated by a state-sponsored actor, likely Russia. A far-right candidate, Calin Georgescu, experienced a sudden surge in popularity fueled by a coordinated social media campaign using paid influencers on TikTok, violating Romanian electoral law. Intelligence reports revealed the theft of electoral website data and approximately 85,000 attempted hacks targeting electoral systems. The released documents, prompting investigations and a potential impact on the upcoming second round of voting, highlight the scale of this interference attempt.

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