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Agence France-Presse

Romania’s presidential election was thrown into chaos as a court ordered a recount of first-round results and security officials alleged that interference via TikTok had boosted a little-known far-right candidate.
The moves came as the country braces for legislative polls plus a run-off vote between a far-right admirer of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a pro-European centrist contender.
The Romanian presidency said security officials had detected “cyberattacks” intended to influence the outcome of Sunday’s vote, which saw far-right candidate Calin Georgescu secure an unexpected first-round win.
Georgescu knocked Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu out of the race, setting up a second-round run-off on December 8 with centrist Elena Lasconi, who placed second.

Another far-right candidate meanwhile went after Lasconi by obtaining an order from the Constitutional Court for a recount of the first-round votes.
The candidate, EU parliament member Cristian Terhes, accused Lasconi’s Union Save Romania (USR) party of continuing to campaign online after the legal deadline.
In response, the Constitutional Court on Thursday said it had unanimously ordered a “reverification and recount of all ballots” from Sunday’s vote.
But the court rejected a separate request by another presidential candidate to annul the first round of the vote, saying the request was filed too late.
The court was due to reconvene on Friday.
Barely known outside Romania, Georgescu was allegedly boosted by viral TikTok campaigns calling for an end to aid for neighbouring Ukraine in its war with Russia and sounding a sceptical note on Nato.

On Thursday, a top Romanian security body said Georgescu was granted “preferential treatment” by TikTok that it said led to his “massive exposure”.
In the statement, the Supreme Council of National Defence demanded that authorities “urgently take the necessary steps” to shed light on the matter.
TikTok denied the allegations.
“It is categorically false to claim that his account was treated differently from those of other candidates,” a spokesperson said. He “was subject to exactly the same rules and restrictions” as all the other candidates, the company said.
Georgescu also rejected the claim, saying in a statement that opponents “are trying … to eliminate the Romanian people’s ability to think and choose according to their own moral, Christian and democratic principles”.
He added: “Attempts are being made to attribute a real election result to any institution, including TikTok, but none of the media and current politicians attribute real credibility to the Romanian people.”

The defence council also said officials had detected “cyberattacks aimed at influencing the correctness of the electoral process” in Sunday’s vote.
It reported “a growing interest” on the part of Russia “to influence the public agenda in Romanian society”.
On Wednesday, the European Commission said it had received a request from Romania’s media regulator to open “a formal investigation into TikTok’s role in the Romanian elections” under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA).
“If the Commission suspects a breach … it can open proceedings to look into TikTok’s compliance with the DSA obligations,” it said in a statement.
Under Romanian law, an election can be annulled if “fraud of such a nature as to alter the allocation of the mandate or … the order of the candidates eligible to participate in the second round of voting” is discovered.
“It’s an unprecedented situation” since the fall of communism and the transition to democracy in 1989, former Constitutional Court judge Augustin Zegrean told Romanian channel Digi24.
“Things can take … a very bad and unfavourable direction,” he said, as the electoral timetable is very tight.
The country is set to hold parliamentary elections on Sunday, with the presidential run-off to follow a week later.
Lasconi, who entered the run-off by a narrow margin of around 2,700 votes, denounced the recount announcement.
“The Constitutional Court is playing with national security,” she said in a statement, adding that what it was “now trying to do is absolutely appalling for a democratic country”.
“Extremism is fought through voting, not back room games,” she said.


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Romania

People protest in the front of the Palace of the Parliament at the Victory Square in Bucharest, Romania, on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

Far-right candidate Calin Georgescu. Photo: Inquam Photos/Octav Ganea via Reuters

Centrist contender Elena Lasconi. Photo: Reuters

A board filled with election posters in Bucharest, Romania. Photo: EPA-EFE

Georgia suspends talks on joining EU for 4 years, triggering new protests

Protesters clash with Georgian police in Tblisi over the government’s EU application delay. Photo: Reuters

Supporters of Georgia’s opposition protest in front of the parliament building in Tbilisi. Photo: Reuters

Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Thursday. Photo: Reuters

Georgian riot police deploy water cannon against demonstrators in Tbilisi. Photo: Reuters

A woman holds an altered version of a classic painting, depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin and Calin Georgescu. Photo: AP

Romanian presidential candidate Calin Georgescu. Photo: Octav Ganea / DIGI24 / Inquam Photos / AFP

Elena Lasconi, of the progressive Save Romania Union party. Photo: EPA-EFE

TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi sought Elon Musk’s input ahead of Trump takeover, report says

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew speaks during the Apec summit in Lima, Peru, on November 15. Photo: AP

Can Donald Trump, avid TikTok user and China critic, save the platform from a US ban?

Donald Trump attends a gala at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, on November 14. Photo: Getty Images/TNS

US senator Marco Rubio of Florida, Trump’s nominee for US secretary of state, is a long-time China critic. Photo: AP

TikTok’s CEO Chew Shou Zi speaks on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Lima, Peru, on November 15. The company, owned by Chinese firm ByteDance, faces a ban in the US. Photo: Reuters

A ByteDance office in San Jose, California. The Chinese tech company developed TikTok. Photo: Shutterstock

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Ruling by top court raises concerns about Romania’s electoral process after surprise win by far-right candidate


Ruling by top court raises concerns about Romania’s electoral process after surprise win by far-right candidate.


TikTok

Russia

Vladimir Putin

Ukraine war