Romanian security officials claimed on Thursday that they’d uncovered cyberattacks aimed at swaying the country’s first round of presidential elections on Sunday.
However, they were mum on when the attacks occurred or what exactly they targeted, offering only vague hints that Russia might be involved.
“The Russian Federation, along with other hostile actors, seems intent on manipulating Romanian society and destabilizing its social cohesion,” the Supreme Council of Defense said in a statement. But it’s curious that just a few days earlier, President Klaus Iohannis’ office—headed by the same man who chairs the Council—said he hadn’t been briefed on any potential foreign interference.
The timing of these claims is suspicious, coming right after the surprising results of the election. Independent nationalist Călin Georgescu, a little-known figure, triumphed over Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, who didn’t even make it to the December 8 runoff. This, understandably, raised eyebrows and triggered a meeting by Iohannis with the Council.
In addition to the cyberattack allegations, the Council took aim at TikTok, accusing the platform of giving preferential treatment to Georgescu. While not naming him directly, the statement pointed to TikTok’s failure to mark Georgescu as a political candidate, as required by Romanian law. This allowed his content to reach more users, compared to other candidates whose posts were properly flagged. But TikTok dismissed the accusation, with spokesperson Paolo Ganino insisting Georgescu’s account was treated like any other.
Despite TikTok’s denial, the Council urged authorities to investigate the platform, further stoking political tensions. This only adds fuel to calls for the Constitutional Court to cancel the results of the first round of voting. Just hours earlier, the Court had demanded a recount, and it’s expected to convene again soon to decide whether to annul the election entirely.
Seems like a lot of finger-pointing and convenient timing, doesn’t it? It’s hard not to wonder if these accusations are part of a larger push to discredit Georgescu’s unexpected success, especially given the political stakes.
