Romania Orders Historic Election Recount Amid TikTok Bias Allegations

Romania’s top court has ordered a recount of Sunday’s presidential election votes following allegations that social media platform TikTok unfairly favored surprise frontrunner Calin Georgescu. The unprecedented move marks the first full recount in the country’s post-Communist history.

Georgescu, a far-right candidate with no political party, secured 23% of the vote, edging out Elena Lasconi of the opposition Save Romania Union, who garnered 19%. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, representing the governing Social Democrats, placed third. Georgescu is set to face Lasconi in a runoff election on December 8.

Georgescu’s campaign relied heavily on TikTok, where his following surged from 30,000 to over 330,000 in just two weeks, amassing over 4 million likes. Romania’s Supreme Council of National Defence accused TikTok of failing to adhere to electoral rules, claiming it did not mark Georgescu as a political candidate in certain videos.

TikTok has categorically denied any preferential treatment. In a statement, the platform said, “It is categorically false to claim his account was treated differently to any other candidate,” and noted that flagged videos were addressed within 24 hours.

Georgescu himself dismissed accusations of impropriety, stating, “The budget of this campaign was zero… Romanian people need freedom. Real democracy means spirituality. God. Our land. Our property. Our soul. Our family.”

The Central Election Bureau is now tasked with organizing the recount, setting a deadline, and mobilizing personnel to ensure accuracy. Opposition candidate Elena Lasconi urged the bureau to act fairly, saying, “The law must be the same for all, not interpreted differently for some.”

Protests erupted in Bucharest and other cities, with anti-Georgescu demonstrators expressing concerns over his pro-Russia stance and far-right rhetoric. Georgescu, in turn, called on his supporters to “stay home with friends and family” and avoid confrontation.

The recount adds a layer of uncertainty to Romania’s electoral process as Georgescu and Lasconi prepare for a decisive runoff. Outgoing President Klaus Iohannis emphasized the importance of transparency and fairness, calling for trust in the recount process.