DISINFO: Events in Romania may be another US coup
SUMMARY
Are events in Romania another US coup? The Constitutional Court annulled the results of the first round of the presidential election in the country. This followed a threatening warning of the US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, after the victory of Calin Georgescu, whom he called “pro-Russian candidate” for being an independent candidate. This clearly shows the rotting state of democracy in the European Union.
RESPONSE
Conspiracy theory not backed by any evidence, framing Romania’s annulment of the 2024 presidential election by the Constitutional Court as the result of US interference. In other instances, pro-Kremlin disinformation has also accused other Western actors such as the EU or Euro-Atlantic institutions of being responsible for this judicial decision, pointing to a coordinated disinformation campaign to exploit this event. Allegations of Western involvement in this episode lack substantial evidence and misrepresent the actual circumstances of the ruling. The goal of this disinformation message is to stoke anti-Western feelings and discredit democracy and the European Union.
Context of the annulment
On December 6, 2024, Romania's Constitutional Court annulled the results of the first round of the presidential election, which had taken place on November 24. This unprecedented decision came just days before the scheduled run-off between ultranationalist candidate Călin Georgescu and his opponent, Elena Lasconi. The court's ruling was primarily based on credible allegations about significant Russian interference in the electoral process, particularly through social media platforms like TikTok, which allegedly favoured Georgescu's campaign. The court's decision was prompted by declassified intelligence reports from Romanian security services that indicated a coordinated campaign to manipulate public perception and sway electoral outcomes in favour of Georgescu. These reports highlighted a mass influence operation that bore similarities to tactics used by Russia in other Eastern European nations.
The role of Romanian authorities
The annulment was not a directive from the EU or external entities but a domestic judicial decision grounded in concerns for electoral integrity and legality. The Romanian Constitutional Court acted upon multiple legal challenges that cited these intelligence disclosures as justification for nullifying the election results. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu supported this decision, stating it was necessary to uphold the democratic process and ensure that Romanian voters were not subjected to foreign manipulation. Furthermore, President Klaus Iohannis's declassification of intelligence documents was crucial in shaping the court's response. This action underscores that the annulment stemmed from national security concerns rather than external pressures from Brussels or EU institutions.
Baseless claims of US and Western involvement
While the Constitutional Court’s decision has caused controversy in Romania, nothing indicates that Western actors had anything to do with overturning the election results. The decision was adopted after the discovery of irregular elements behind Georgescu’s campaign, which pointed to a foreign interference campaign, especially through TikTok and illegal funding. The EU has demanded a full inquiry on Russia’s role in these incidents from TikTok.
See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that the EU interfered in the Romanian elections, that Euro-Atlantic institutions and the US are behind annulment of Romania’s election, that Romania illegally cancelled first round of elections in order to block the raise of a humane, non-anti-Russian candidate, or that elections in Romania are unfair.