Police raids, fleeing TikTokers and Romania’s cancelled election

Summary

POLITICO Tech: Police Raids, Fleeing TikTokers, and Romania’s Cancelled Election
Release Date: December 17, 2024

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Overview

In this gripping episode of POLITICO Tech, host Stephen Overlea delves into the unprecedented cancellation of Romania’s presidential election amid allegations of foreign interference via social media platforms, particularly TikTok. Joined by investigative journalist Andrei Popovecchio, the discussion unpacks the intricate web of disinformation campaigns, the role of influencers tied to organized crime, and the broader implications for democratic institutions and European Union policies.

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Romania’s Cancelled Election: An Unprecedented Move

[02:03] Stephen Overlea:
"Rarely does a news headline make me gasp out loud, but a recent one did just that. It was a story out of Romania where a constitutional court canceled a presidential election, like the whole election, over concerns about foreign interference on social media."

The episode begins with an alarming revelation: Romania’s constitutional court has annulled its presidential election due to detected foreign interference orchestrated through social media, specifically TikTok. This marks the first instance in 35 years where an election has been canceled under such circumstances.

[02:14] Andrei Popovecchio:
"It's an unprecedented situation for Romania at the moment... a virtually unknown candidate called Kaling Georgescu was propelled to win the first round of the elections... the president has decided to declassify intelligence documents that have laid out a sophisticated social media campaign... leading to the annulment of the elections."

Georgescu, an obscure far-right politician, surged to prominence via TikTok, ultimately securing a place in the second round against Elena Lasconi. However, the discovery of an elaborate social media interference campaign just before the runoff led to the election’s cancellation.

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Public Sentiment and Institutional Trust

[04:16] Andrei Popovecchio:
"Romania is deeply polarized right now... people are losing trust in our democratic institutions."

The cancellation has left the Romanian populace deeply divided and disillusioned with mainstream political parties and democratic institutions. Both supporters of Georgescu and Lasconi express frustration—Georgescu’s base fears manipulation by the establishment, while Lasconi’s supporters see the annulment as a necessary safeguard against a potentially pro-Russian leader.

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The TikTok Disinformation Campaign

[05:56] Stephen Overlea:
"TikTok has been at the center of a lot of this controversy because it is the platform where Georgescu gained so much traction... how much has been revealed about the TikTok campaign to boost Georgescu and who is behind it?"

The conversation shifts to the mechanics of the disinformation campaign on TikTok. According to declassified intelligence documents, over 25,000 pro-Georgescu TikTok accounts were mobilized, utilizing subtle promotion tactics rather than overt endorsements.

[06:15] Andrei Popovecchio:
"...influencers weren't told to say vote for Georgescu. It was actually more subtle, the campaign... they were actually told to mention specific traits of what an ideal candidate would look like for the presidential election... attracting bots who were commenting vote for Georgescu."

Influencers were incentivized to highlight desirable candidate traits rather than explicitly endorsing Georgescu, making the campaign appear as organic voter mobilization. This strategy effectively engaged TikTok’s vast user base in Romania, which numbers approximately 9 million out of a 19 million population.

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Influencers Tied to Organized Crime Fleeing the Country

[08:36] Stephen Overlea:
"I mean, like, influencers attached to organized crime getting dark money to promote a candidate to, like, take an election."

A particularly alarming development involves TikTok influencers with connections to organized crime who played significant roles in the disinformation campaign. Facing investigations, several of these influencers are fleeing Romania to escape scrutiny.

[08:51] Andrei Popovecchio:
"Influencers were indeed paid, and now they're being investigated by the tax authorities for the truth about how and who paid them... some of them were scared and they left. But Georgescu said that if he does become president, he would pardon anyone accused in these investigations."

These influencers received substantial payments, with some investigations revealing expenditures up to €1 million aimed at manipulating public opinion. The departure of these individuals raises questions about the depth and reach of the clandestine operations behind the campaign.

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Calls for Increased Transparency and Regulation

[11:03] Stephen Overlea:
"There's talk in the US about whether there needs to be more transparency around influencers and their role in politics... Has there been talk of a need for more transparency around this in future elections?"

The episode explores the broader implications for political campaigning on social media platforms. Romania's strict electoral laws require clear labeling of political content, yet these were blatantly ignored during the campaign.

[11:43] Andrei Popovecchio:
"Civil society and politicians in Romania are starting to realize the power and influence these platforms have... calling for stricter regulations, and they're calling for the platforms to better regulate and make sure that there's no illegal political campaigning happening on these platforms."

There is a growing consensus in Romania that platforms like TikTok must implement more rigorous oversight to prevent similar interference in future elections. This includes ensuring that all political content is properly flagged and regulated.

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European Union’s Response and Future Policies

[15:43] Stephen Overlea:
"Brussels is watching this. They are clearly nervous about it... Do we have a sense yet at the EU level of where leaders go from here with this issue?"

The fallout from Romania’s canceled election has significant implications for the European Union (EU). The EU is acutely aware of the vulnerabilities its member states face regarding foreign interference via digital platforms.

[16:11] Andrei Popovecchio:
"The Commission didn't condemn the canceling of the election and actually supported the government and the Romanian Constitutional Court in their decision to cancel the election... EU has the Digital Act that is regulating these platforms and that calls for stricter measures on them."

The EU is leveraging this incident to reinforce and possibly expand its regulatory framework, notably the Digital Act, to better address and mitigate the risks posed by foreign interference in national elections. This involves enhancing cooperation among member states to safeguard electoral integrity against similar cyber threats.

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Conclusion

The cancellation of Romania’s presidential election underscores the profound impact that social media platforms can have on democratic processes. As discussed by Stephen Overlea and Andrei Popovecchio, the orchestrated disinformation campaign on TikTok not only disrupted the electoral outcome but also eroded public trust in institutions. The episode highlights the urgent need for robust regulatory mechanisms to ensure transparency and accountability in political campaigning on digital platforms. Additionally, it signals the EU’s heightened focus on safeguarding its member states against such vulnerabilities, paving the way for more stringent policies and collaborative efforts to preserve the integrity of democratic institutions in the digital age.

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Notable Quotes:

• Stephen Overlea [00:28]:
  "Now, the vote has been canceled, investigators are raiding the homes of political donors, and TikTok influencers with links to organized crime are fleeing the country."

• Andrei Popovecchio [02:14]:
  "...the Constitutional Court has decided to indeed cancel them and reorganize them a later date, based on these intelligence documents."

• Andrei Popovecchio [04:16]:
  "People are losing trust in our democratic institutions."

• Andrei Popovecchio [06:15]:
  "...influencers were actually told in exchange for €1,000 to mention specific traits of what an ideal candidate would look like for the presidential election."

• Andrei Popovecchio [08:51]:
  "Georgescu said that if he does become president, he would pardon anyone accused in these investigations."

• Andrei Popovecchio [11:43]:
  "...they're calling for stricter regulations, and they're calling for the platforms to better regulate and make sure that there's no illegal political campaigning happening on these platforms."

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the critical discussions and insights from the episode, providing a clear and detailed understanding for those who have not listened to the podcast.

Transcript

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[Stephen Overlea]

See dutchbros.com hey, welcome back to POLITICO Tech. It's Tuesday, December 17th. I'm Stephen Overlea. Rarely does a news headline make me gasp out loud, but a recent one did just that. It was a story out of Romania where a constitutional court canceled a presidential election, like the whole election, over concerns about foreign interference on social media. Now, we did a show on the Romanian election a couple of weeks ago because the candidate who was expected to win was a far right politician named Colen Giorgesko, who was virtually unknown, but catapulted himself to the top due to his popularity on TikTok. But right before a runoff against his centrist rival, Elena Lesconi, the government declassified evidence of a major interference campaign on TikTok. So now the vote has been canceled, investigators are raiding the homes of political donors, and TikTok influencers with links to organized crime are fleeing the country. And I'm just scratching the surface. Here to dive into this. With me is Andrei Popovecchio, a freelance investigative journalist from Romania who has been covering this story for Politico. Here's our conversation. Andre, welcome to Politico Tech.

[Andrei Popovecchio]

Thank you. Thanks for having me.

[Stephen Overlea]

Steven, you know, you wrote an article for Politico that I thought was very aptly titled. It said, romanian Election. What the hell is going on? So tell me what the hell is going on?

[Andrei Popovecchio]

Yeah, well, it's an unprecedented situation for Romania at the moment. So the second round of elections got canceled halfway through. So two days before the voting was supposed to happen, and even as the diaspora was already voting. And what happened was that a virtually unknown candidate called Kaling Georgescu was propelled to win the first round of the elections. And he basically came out of nowhere. And he was slated to go against reformist and small town mayor Elena Lasconi into the second round. But just a week before the second round of the elections, the president has decided to declassify intelligence documents that have laid out a sophisticated social media campaign, mainly on TikTok, which has made it possible for Georgescu to gain so much popularity and eventually get through to the second round which no one expected. So the declassified documents tried to make a connection, but it wasn't quite there. Between Russian hybrid attacks and Russian influence on Georgescu's campaign, they strongly suggested it, but they haven't really proposed strong evidence that connected the two. But following that, the Constitutional Court has decided, after it was inundated by a lot of requests to annul the elections, they've decided to indeed cancel them and reorganize them a later date, based on these intelligence documents. So both candidates were extremely disappointed in the decision. And now the current government, which was just elected a few weeks ago. So the parliamentary elections were between the two presidential rounds. They are now tasked with scheduling the next elections. And the current president, Klaus Johannes, will be staying on until the next president is sworn in.

[Stephen Overlea]

Yeah, you know, I've covered disinformation around elections for a number of years now. I don't think I've ever seen an election be canceled because of disinformation. I mean, that's. I actually, like, gasped when I read the headline. I was, like, stunned by that. You're reporting from Bucharest, from Romania's capital. What is the sentiment there right now?

[Andrei Popovecchio]

So you need to understand, Romania is deeply polarized right now. I mean, you know, it really depends who you talk to. But I think in general, people on both sides, everyone's disappointed at the establishment. They're disappointed of the mainstream parties. And what's more serious, I think people are losing trust in our democratic institutions. So if you look on one side, Georgescu's supporters, you know, they've been for years disappointing the mainstream parties, and it all culminated in the annulment of these elections. So many are saying that the establishment, the mainstream parties, have canceled these elections using politically appointed Constitutional Court judges because their candidates didn't win. It was the first time in 35 years that none of the two mainstream big parties in Romania had a candidate in the second round of the elections. On the other side, Lasconi supporters, which is the counter candidate of Georgescu, were also disappointed. But I've been getting the feeling that as time passed, many of her supporters, and let's say the pro European part of Romanian society, feel that they avoided a potential catastrophe, which was having Georgescu, who many see as a pro Russian kind of candidate politician who would take Romania out of the EU and NATO. They feel like they avoided people electing him based on this kind of disinformation on TikTok and social media. But I think the common. The common point is that everyone is disappointed in the establishment and definitely disappointed in the institutions. And I think there's going to be a lot of kind of frustration and kind of heated discussions around the Christmas table this year.

[Stephen Overlea]

You know, TikTok has been at the center of a lot of this controversy because it is the platform where Georges God so much traction and this sort of interference campaign seems to have been run. I mean, how much has been revealed about the TikTok campaign to boost Dorjesco and who is behind it?

[Andrei Popovecchio]

So the intelligence documents that were declassified laid out this kind of sophisticated campaign in which, you know, over 25,000 pro Georgescu TikTok accounts kind of burst into action just like weeks before the first round of the elections in which a lot of people say that it was coordinated attempt to sway the elections in his favor. There was a lot of money paid, up to 1 million euros paid to influencers, apparently to promote the candidate. But TikTok influencers weren't told to say vote for Dodgescu. It was actually more subtle, the campaign. They were actually told in exchange for €1,000, according to some reports, to mention specific traits of what an ideal candidate would look like for the presidential election. So then they did that, and they were also told to put some hashtags on those posts, which basically then attracted like hundreds and thousands of bots who were commenting vote for Georgescu. So it was kind of this subtle campaign in which a lot of influencers actually thought they weren't promoting a specific candidate and they thought they were just urging people to go out and vote. But it had a big impact on Romania's 9 million TikTok users out of a 19 million population of the country. That's huge. And I think people, a lot of people found out about him and saw this kind of organic development on social media while none of the mainstream media was covering. And then I think there was also. So the intelligence documents, you know, laid out this campaign and said there was a foreign campaign and strongly suggested there was a Russian kind of hybrid attack foreign campaign to influence the elections. And then we had a lot of journalistic investigations by Romanian media who've outlined and have actually proven how, for example, telegram accounts from Russia have been promoting Georgescu a lot before doing and after the first round. And also how millions of euros have been invested for the past few years in campaigns that kind of pushed a lot of the money that were coming from Russia. But they were pushing a lot of ideas and rhetorics that were associated with Georgescu about kind of this mystical religious type of speech that he has and that has attracted so many. So while the declassified documents haven't really nailed down the Russian connection, there's been a few journalistic investigations that have done so, and I think now we have more investigations by prosecutors and other state institutions who are trying to do that.

[Stephen Overlea]

Well, yeah, you actually have written about some of these TikTok influencers who were involved in this TikTok campaign fleeing the country. They fled the country because of this investigation. What do we know about that? I mean. And what are some of the questions you're trying to figure out?

[Andrei Popovecchio]

Yeah, so a few of those influencers that I mentioned before, they were connected to organized crime. So they were heads of organized crimes in their kind of regions, Romania. And they posted on TikTok photos from borders, air or land borders, saying that they're kind of leaving the countries, strongly suggesting that they were. So other people, other influencers, distance themselves from Giorgescu right after the elections, saying that they didn't know they were promoting him and that they thought they were just urging people to vote. But it's clear that influencers were indeed paid, and now they're being investigated by the tax authorities for the truth about how and who paid them and what was kind of the financial chain that got so many of these influencers to promote the candidate. So there's prosecutor investigations, tax authorities investigations that are really trying to pin down what Georgescu has said that was a campaign done with zero money. He's declared zero expenses and zero budget for his campaign. But then, you know, we're starting to see these millions of euros invested in influencers, which he says wasn't done by him, but by people who. Who supported him. There was even a case, and this individual was also mentioned in the classified documents, and he's now being investigated. Prosecutors have raided his house. He spent 1 million euros in paying influencers to promote Georgia's. So I think we're starting to see more and more this coordinated TikTok campaign kind of coming to surface. And, yeah, some of them were scared and they left. But Georgescu said that if he does become president, he would pardon anyone accused in these investigations.

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[Stephen Overlea]

You know, I'm listening to this. It sounds like the plot of a James Bond movie or something, like a really nerdy political James Bond, but nevertheless, I mean, like, influencers attached to organized crime getting dark money to promote a candidate to, like, take an election. I mean, you know, there's talk in the US about whether there needs to be more transparency around influencers and their role in politics, like, when they take money and who's paying them, similar in a way, to traditional political advertising. Has there been talk of a need for more transparency around this in future elections?

[Andrei Popovecchio]

Yeah. So the big issue in the case of Romania's elections was that Romania has very strict rules in terms of electoral campaigns. So all kind of posts and any sort of electoral campaigning needs to be flagged as such. And these TikTok posts weren't. So the laws are there. They were just not respected. In the case of Georgescu, now they're trying to see whether he was aware of that or whether he was involved in any of that coordination. And I think civil society and politicians in Romania are starting to realize the power and influence these platforms have, and especially TikTok. And of course, they're calling for stricter regulations, and they're calling for the platforms to better regulate and make sure that there's no illegal political campaigning happening on these platforms. TikTok, just before the election, they ordered Georgescu's team, or they flagged him as having campaigned illegally on the platform. So they also kind of flagged that just before, but I think it was too late. And we're starting now to see the effects of kind of this lax implementation of regulations by tech companies, but also this lack of awareness or preparedness on the part of governments to realize how much power to sway in elections they have. So I think there's a reckoning into how much influence these platforms can have, and there will be a lot of reforms happening in the next years.

[Stephen Overlea]

Is that reckoning attracting any new scrutiny for TikTok? I mean, are people being critical of how they've kind of handled election disinformation and whether they did flag some of this content Too late?

[Andrei Popovecchio]

Yeah. I mean, again, it really depends who you're talking to. I think a lot of Giorgescu supporters don't feel like they were manipulated in any way and actually feel that they are using alternative information channels other than traditional media, who they see as part of this establishment that has been, you know, working with politicians working with institutions to keep a certain kind of group of people, you know, empower. So for them, it seems like they are not being manipulated and they don't see TikTok as a place where the election was swayed, while others are starting to realize, you know, how important it is to talk to their family members or grandparents or parents who are actually using these apps to inform themselves better and kind of be careful of what they're seeing and what they're kind of believing from these apps.

[Stephen Overlea]

Is TikTok saying anything new about these investigations and its sort of role in all of this? You know, I know in the past or in recent weeks, they've sort of defended themselves and the way that they've handled this. Have they come out with any sort of new statements recently?

[Andrei Popovecchio]

No, I think. I mean, TikTok is in, you know, on the hotspot at the moment. They've been called by the European Commission. They were in European Parliament. They had to answer questions about kind of their regulations and what they've done in this case. And I think, you know, this is not just about this specific election in Romania. You know, 2024 was the year with the most elections in the world. We're going to be having so many more EU elections in the EU who are very vulnerable to these types of attacks. So I think TikTok is trying to make sure that this, I guess, doesn't happen. I mean, they haven't said so, and they've denied that they've made any mistakes in enforcing the rules. But, you know, we've seen that in Moldova in October, just this year, you've had a very similar campaign conducted on social media when Moldova was voting for president. And they also had a referendum about EU accession. And a very similar campaign was conducted on social media, again with money that was traced back to Russia. So I think we can see these types of patterns happening across the continent. And, you know, the EU cares a lot about this because, you know, if you have Hungary, Romania, Slovenia, Germany, you have the rise of the far right now in France as well. You know, these platforms influencing voters and pushing them towards kind of an anti eu, kind of hard, right, kind of isolationist, nationalist candidates, you know, that could be a very big threat to the existence of the EU itself.

[Stephen Overlea]

Well, that's. I wanted to talk about the. The EU because I know that the European Commission traditionally is hesitant to get involved in, you know, national elections at the member states. But Brussels is watching this. They are clearly nervous about it. You mentioned they had a hearing where they hauled in TikTok executives to kind of answer for some of this disinformation on the platform. Do we have a sense yet at the EU level of where leaders go from here with this issue?

[Andrei Popovecchio]

So the Commission didn't condemn the canceling of the election and actually supported the government and the Romanian Constitutional Court in their decision to cancel the election. I think, again, for the commission, it's a good thing. And I think for a lot of people who are pro European, it was a good thing because again, everyone dodged the bullet of potentially Georgescu becoming president and, you know, taking the country out of all these European and pro west alliances. It's a kind of event that is helping the Commission also understand that, you know, none of the countries in the region are immune to these types of influence campaigns. You know, the EU has the Digital act that is regulating these platforms and that calls for stricter measures on them. And I think this is making them understand, you know, how to better improve that act and those laws and how to enforce them, because it's one of the first cases under this act and in recent history of a linked EU member state to be so kind of evidently have an election influenced by foreign powers, especially by Russia. So I think for Eurocrats, it's going to be an opportunity to show whether EU level policy will actually come in handy for member states who feel their sovereignty and their electoral processes are being influenced by Russia.

[Stephen Overlea]

Well, Andre, I am fascinated by this story. I appreciate you being here on Politico Tech.

[Andrei Popovecchio]

Thanks so much for having me, Steven.

[Stephen Overlea]

That's all for today's Politico Tech. If you enjoy Politico Tech, be sure to subscribe. And for more tech news, subscribe to our newsletters, Digital Future Daily and Morning Tech. Our managing producer is Annie Reiss. Our producer is Afra Abdullah. I'm Stephen Overleigh. See you back here tomorrow.