Overview of propaganda and false narratives circulating on November 30 and December 1 on social media

Context:

On November 24, Romania held regular presidential elections. As a shock to everybody, an independent candidate, Călin Georgescu, whom most mainstream media and even exit polls ignored took first place, followed by a centre-right candidate of a party founded in 2016, with a pro-EU and mostly progressive stance - Elena Lasconi of USR. The candidates of the two major political parties, social democrat Marcel Ciolacu (incumbent PM) and liberal Nicolae Ciucă (serving head of the Senate) did not make the final round. Ciolacu was considered a favourite of the polls, most ranking him first, but he finished third, with less than 3000 votes away from the runner-up. The results were shocking not only because an unknown candidate finished first in the first round of elections, but also because his messages were ultranationalistic, anti-EU/ anti-NATO, pro-Russian and even conspiracy-supporting messages. Georgescu’s campaign was officially conducted with no financial aid, while major parties spent millions of euros, from both state-funded subventions and private donations. He gained notoriety on TikTok and while posts promoting him reached millions of voters, mainstream media and other parties had no clue about this campaign.
 

If the situation itself did raise any red flags, on November 28 the Constitutional Court ordered a recount of the first-round presidential vote, following a complaint by one of the last-ranking candidates. The recounting began under special legislation, with few people in charge of double-checking 9 million votes and with no independent observers present. This has led to political backlash and concerns over the transparency of the electoral process. The situation is further complicated by legislative elections scheduled for December 1, with fears that the far right could gain more influence. Additionally, allegations of cyber attacks and preferential treatment on social media have added to the controversy, with some voices even asking for TikTok to be outlawed in Romania. Students and young people began protesting each evening in major cities, in support of the EU and democracy and against the far-right. 

According to Romanian legislation, the electoral campaign and its subsequent ads can legally run until Saturday morning, at 7:00 - 24 hours before the voting polls are opened within the country. The main events and narratives of the last week are mirrored in the disinformation content identified on social media. Here are a few: recounting the votes of the first round of the presidential elections following a procedure that lacks transparency, with results expected to be published after today's polls close; students and young people protesting against the rise of far-right parties and presidential contender Gerogescu; different outrageous claims by Georgescu being shared and circulated by both supporters and detractors; more intense discussion on the freedom of speech, rights of minorities and benefits of the EU and NATO membership. 

Social media insights, Parliamentary elections, November 30-December 1:

Between November 30 and December 1, we have identified 653 posts across Meta (316) and TikTok (337). There is a notable difference between the content on the platforms:

• Content flagged on Meta is, in its majority, either electoral ads (spanning across representatives of most parties present in the elections) or groups that have changed their name and goal after gaining traction;
• Content flagged on TikTok is mostly linked to supporting one candidate and/or sharing false information about the other, spreading general conspiracies on a number of subjects and spreading panic about war and protests. 

For a better understanding of the topics and specificities of the social media posts, we have identified the following:

1. Voting fraud: there is no voting secrecy (some people post their own votes); the Romanian Special Telecommunication Service is involved in the fraud and a number of its officers have already been arrested.

2. The continuation of the electoral campaign: a significant number of these ads have an unique identifier number issued by the Electoral Authority to trace political ads and make sure that they follow the legal guidelines of the campaign. They are not linked to only one party in particular.

3. Electoral posts that are not marked accordingly, but are shared with the clear intent to sway people to vote in a specific manner. 

4. Praising the historic leaders of the far-right (especially legionarii) and their leader, Corneliu Zelea Codreanu. Codreanu was assassinated on November 30, 1938, near Bucharest and the commemoration of this event was used to promote far-right messages. The protests that have taken place over the last week in Bucharest and other large cities have highlighted that Georgescu declared admiration for Codreanu in the past. 

5. Georgescu promoted conspiracy theories and pseudoscientific claims, such as nanochips in fizzy drinks, water not being H2O and having its own memory that can influence the human body, C-section births breaking the divine thread of the child, alternative medicine, and healthcare “solutions.” Georgescu solved all major issues of the country in record time, some in just 24 hours; Georgescu has Trump’s support.

6. Anti-EU posts (most of them linked to Georgescu): the EU’s downfall is imminent, politically and economically it has nothing to offer.
7. Economic conspiracies: Romanian exports vs. its imports, especially in terms of grains, which holds historic significance since the country was once claimed to be “Europe’s granary”, local production is nonexistent and Romania imports products that we’ve once made domestically, Europe is a net importer and thus not a trustworthy trade partner.
8.  Anti-LGBTQ+ posts (mostly linked to accusing Lasconi of being “too progressive”): Lasconi promotes the LGBTQ+ agenda, children will receive LGBTQ+ education in schools, and general homophobic content.

9. Anti-Ukraine posts: by supporting Ukraine, Romania will be dragged in the war; Georgescu is denying the war in Ukraine; we are cannon fodder in a war that is not ours to fight; Lasconi will drag the country in war; Romania is on the brink of full-scale war; Ukrainian refugee children receive preferential treatment compared to Romanian children.

10. Civil unrest and protests: the protesters are paid; calls for a revolution; a civil war brooding if the elections are annulled; the authorities are setting something up, because there are many policemen on the streets (not to mention it’s to be expected for the National Day festivities and a voting day in general, both taking place on December 1).

11. Foreign interference: foreign forces wish to destabilize Romania, with Ukrainian help; patriotic military images linked to Georgescu. 
12. Deepfakes: some are jokes, while others are posted to support conspiracy theories.
13. Pages and groups that have changed their name and started promoting a candidate:

14. Trolling campaigns: a significant campaign has been observed on TikTok, linking a progressive party to Gerogescu - since he does not name any party as his supporter, the campaign popularizes the idea that a party with opposing values is actually supporting him, while his actual supporters are framed as an “LGBTQ+ party”; the intention is thus to sway far-right and conservative voters to opt for progressive parties.  

The overview highlights a turbulent and highly polarized period in Romania's political landscape, where disinformation and propaganda have heavily influenced public discourse. On TikTok and Meta, disinformation campaigns exploit conspiracy theories, cultural anxieties, and historical symbolism, driving panic and division. The situation underscores the growing influence of digital platforms in shaping political outcomes, often outside the oversight of traditional institutions.

The flagged content reflects an intricate web of falsehoods and polarizing narratives. From allegations of voting fraud and cyber interference to anti-EU, anti-LGBTQ+, and anti-Ukraine sentiments, the messages attempt to undermine confidence in Romania’s democratic processes while amplifying far-right propaganda. The use of trolling, deepfakes, and strategically renamed online groups to sway voter opinion showcases the sophistication and breadth of these campaigns. Together, these dynamics highlight the urgent need for transparent electoral oversight, robust fact-checking mechanisms, and increased public awareness to safeguard democratic integrity in the face of digital manipulation.