TikTok radical: Why Romania detained presidential candidate opposed to Ukraine

Contents:

• Mass detentions
• Background: Preparation for the repeat elections
• Who is Georgescu and what he said about Ukraine

Mass detentions

In Romania, one of the leading presidential candidates, the far-right independent candidate Călin Georgescu, was detained, and dozens of searches were carried out within his team. Georgescu has now been brought to the General Prosecutor’s Office for questioning.

According to the Romanian outlet Digi24, Georgescu has been charged with: the creation or support of an organization of fascist, racist, or xenophobic nature; the propaganda of the cult of individuals guilty of committing crimes against peace and humanity, or the propaganda of fascist, racist, or xenophobic ideologies.

Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu stated that he would not comment on judicial decisions or the prosecutor's investigation, but emphasized that specialized authorities should present clear evidence.

“In Romania's electoral context, judicial authorities have the duty to present to the public extremely solid evidence in the investigation in which, among dozens of people, a potential candidate in the May elections is also involved,” Ciolacu said.

A spontaneous rally in support of Georgescu gathered under the General Prosecutor's Office in Romania.

Background: Preparation for the repeat elections

In Romania, the presidential election campaign is effectively ongoing. The first round took place on November 24 of last year, and Călin Georgescu secured the first place. However, Romania's Constitutional Court annulled the results of the first round after reviewing reports from Romania's intelligence services. The European Commission and leading European countries supported this decision.

On January 17, the then-President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, declassified the report that led the court to make its decision. The report revealed Georgescu’s aggressive advertising campaign, which was conducted in violation of electoral laws. Romanian intelligence services also reported the use of algorithms on some social media platforms, including TikTok, to boost Georgescu’s popularity.

The document states that Romania is a target for Russian hybrid actions, including cyberattacks, intelligence leaks, and sabotage. According to the report, Georgescu’s rising ratings were driven by a campaign to boost his popularity, particularly two weeks before the elections. As a result, he received 22.94% of the vote. Meanwhile, intelligence services reported that, just weeks before the elections, Georgescu had very low popularity - 6.2%, according to a poll conducted from November 15-20.

The repeat first round of the presidential elections will take place on May 4. However, Georgescu has already been supported by several far-right parties. He also positions himself as the main opposition candidate. As of January 21, he was leading the polls with a 38% rating.

Additionally, Georgescu has received support from members of US President Donald Trump's team - Vice President J.D. Vance and billionaire Elon Musk. Musk recently posted on social media platform X: "They just arrested the person who won the most votes in the Romanian presidential election. This is messed up".

Who is Georgescu and what he said about Ukraine

Călin Georgescu worked in international institutions before entering politics. From 2015 to 2016, he served as the Executive Director of the United Nations Global Sustainable Development Index Institute in Geneva and Vaduz. Prior to that, he was the president of the European Research Center of the Club of Rome.

The politician has gained attention for a series of radical statements regarding Romania's neighbors. On January 30, Georgescu called Ukraine a "fictitious state." When asked if he believed the territories of Ukraine would be divided after a peace agreement, Georgescu responded: "One hundred percent, it will happen. Well, they have no other way! The path to something like this is inevitable. Ukraine is a fictitious state. It is the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic," he said.

On December 4, Georgescu announced that he would ban the further export of Ukrainian grain through Romania and any additional military aid to Kyiv if he were elected president. When asked by Reuters whether he agreed to support Ukraine for as long as necessary, Georgescu replied, "No."

"How could I agree to that? It is impossible. Romania and the Romanian people come first," he said, clarifying that Romania would no longer provide military or political support to Ukraine.

Additionally, before the first round of elections, Georgescu praised the times when Romania was an ally of Nazi Germany during World War II. He also described Russia's war against Ukraine as the result of a conspiracy by American arms manufacturers.

Sources: statements by Călin Georgescu, Marcel Ciolacu, and the materials by Digi24, Reuters, and the BBC.