Pro-Putin TikTok politician wins first round of Romania's presidential elections

Sending shockwaves through the EU, Calin Georgescu, a far-right, pro-Putin candidate, has won the first round of the presidential elections in Romania.

Running as an independent after breaking away from the ultra-nationalt AUR party, Georgescu has boasted that he did not spend a dime on his electoral campaign. In fact, he appeared to have single digit support in the run-up to the election.

Instead of holding rallies, Calin Georgescu limited himself to ads on TikTok and other social media. These went viral and account for his vote share of 23%.

“It’s a TikTok win,” said Romanian analyst and historian Ion M. Ionita in the Financial Times. “You don’t need a party. You just need to go viral on social media, and he has gone viral for sure.”

In a 2022 interview, Georgescu said that Putin is one of the few "authentic" leaders in the world, reports Euronews.

On the other hand, Georgescu questions the continued support for Zelensky in his war against the Russian invasion and even wonders whether Romania should leave NATO, according to Euronews.

As no candidate secured 50% of the vote in the first round, the second round will see Georgescu in a face off with the conservative Elena Lasconi.

Romania's first-round election result is part of a pattern in Eastern Europe with a number of countries leaning towards Russia at the polls – Pellegrini in Slovakia and the 'no' result in Moldova's referendum to join the EU.

The results raise suspicions in the West of Russian intervention in the shape of manipulation and misinformation.

Digital activism on X, TikTok and other social networks along with hacker activity and fake news – all are part of Putin's arsenal in his battle against the West.

Many young TikTokers voted for Georgescu. But he also attracted disaffected sectors, such as farmers, who have been the protagonists of protests in Romania over the past year.

If Georgescu wins the second round on December 8, he will join a global populist sweep led by figures such as Donald Trump who has Georgescu in his thrall.

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