Romanian treasury announced influencers He reportedly helped launch a hitherto unknown presidential candidate with an ultra-nationalist profile. Newspaper.
Answer influencers Tax investigation launched immediately: leaving the country, according to expert media Political.
Why is it important?. The investigation uncovered an election influence operation via TikTok, allegedly organized by Russia, which led to the cancellation of the Romanian presidential election.
in numbers:
- 1 million euros were invested in the campaign influencers.
- Cryptocurrencies worth $7 million were seized.
- Officially, 0 Euros were declared in campaign expenses.
behind the scenes. Călin Georgescu, an almost unknown and openly pro-Putin candidate, surprisingly won the first round of the elections. Already in a quick response TikTok removed some questionable campaigns.
Declassified intelligence documents reveal the existence of a network influencersSome had ties to organized crime and were paid to support their candidacies. A few weeks ago, a network of 25,000 TikTok accounts began making Georgescu’s candidacy go viral.
Romanian authorities launched a series of raids against Georgescu’s supporters. They detained armed mercenaries and searched the properties of their most prominent sponsors. Meanwhile, influencers They posted photos taken from borders and planes on their networks as they bid farewell to the country.
And now what?. The European Commission has ordered TikTok to protect data related to the Romanian elections and the upcoming EU elections.
Some analysts have warned that this disinformation campaign follows a similar pattern to that used during Moldova’s referendum on joining the EU.
Go deeper. This case represents a new phase in election manipulation through social networks. combination influencers Localities and opaque financing have proven to be an effective formula for election interference.
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Featured image | Wikimedia Commons