The Brussels political establishment is pointing fingers at TikTok for allegedly misleading voters, following the shock rise of independent candidate Călin Georgescu in Romania’s presidential election.
MEP Valerie Hayer, head of the liberal Renew group, called for TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew to appear before the European Parliament, demanding answers about the platform’s role in political manipulation. She warned that Romania’s result could be a warning for all of Europe, as disinformation and radicalization spread online with harmful effects.
Georgescu, described as a “radical populist” and “ultranationalist,” defied pollsters’ predictions, finishing first with 23% of the vote, despite having little media presence. His main campaign tool? TikTok. With around 300,000 followers and posts racking up millions of likes, Georgescu’s TikTok account gained massive traction. The hashtag #călingeorgescu alone garnered 120 million views since September. Critics, including Bogdan Manolea of the Romanian Association for Technology and Internet, claim that fake accounts pushed pro-Georgescu content, accusing TikTok of failing to address this issue under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA).
While TikTok prohibits paid political ads, content promoting political messages can still go viral. Observers suspect Georgescu’s team bypassed the rules by using “volunteers” or covert transactions to push his agenda, though Georgescu insists he spent no money on his campaign.
While there’s no evidence of foreign interference, Georgescu’s pro-Putin stance and his push to limit NATO’s presence in Romania have raised eyebrows, fueling speculation about potential outside influence. Despite the controversy, TikTok’s role in the campaign remains at the center of the debate.
