Romanian 'TikTok Messiah' presidential candidate embodies hybrid war with West, say experts

Summary

Far-right candidate Calin Georgescu won the first round of Romania’s presidential election, marking the first time a fringe candidate has achieved such success through a social media-driven campaign.

Georgescu leveraged public discontent with mainstream politics and used TikTok and other platforms to spread nationalist and pro-Russian rhetoric.

Unlike bot-driven campaigns, his rise relied on highly loyal followers amplifying his pseudo-Messianic message.

Analysts view his anti-Western narrative as part of a broader hybrid war tactic, posing challenges for NATO-aligned Romania amid regional tensions.