Authorities warn of a viral disinformation campaign on Telegram aiming to sway Sunday’s presidential vote, echoing previous allegations of Moscow’s meddling.
The Romanian government on Sunday denounced a “viral fake news campaign” circulating on social media — particularly on Telegram — that it claims is designed to “influence the electoral process” and once again bears “the hallmarks of Russian interference.”
The accusation was issued on X (formerly Twitter) by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shortly after a message from Telegram founder Pavel Durov, in which he accused France — without explicitly naming it — of attempting to interfere in elections. Paris firmly denied the allegation.
In a tense runoff election, nationalist candidate George Simion — an admirer of former U.S. President Donald Trump — faces off against the pro-European mayor of Bucharest, Nicușor Dan.
Last year, Romania’s Constitutional Court annulled the presidential election following allegations of Russian interference — which Moscow has denied — and a massive social media campaign that led to the surprise victory of far-right candidate Călin Georgescu. Georgescu, a previously little-known figure, has since been indicted and barred from running in the current election.
Polls opened at 7:00 a.m. local time (04:00 GMT) and closed at 9:00 p.m. (18:00 GMT), with preliminary exit polls expected shortly after and final results anticipated overnight.
Simion, 38, leads the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), while Dan, 55, is a centrist and mathematician by training. The presidency holds key powers, including the ability to appoint top officials and participate in European Union and NATO summits.
Simion emerged as the frontrunner in the first round of voting on May 4, securing nearly 41 percent of the vote — more than double Dan’s tally. However, recent (and often unreliable) polling has shown the two candidates running neck and neck.
The international community is closely monitoring the election amid a broader surge in far-right movements across the European Union.
Romania — a country of 19 million, bordering Ukraine and a member of the EU — has become a strategic NATO stronghold since Russia’s full-scale invasion began.
Simion, a former soccer hooligan who has sought to moderate his tone in recent months, declared himself “convinced” that he would become Romania’s next president — unless there is “massive fraud,” he warned, suggesting he would contest the result if defeated.
While critical of “absurd EU policies” and “faceless bureaucrats,” analysts say Simion may have undermined his own chances in the second round due to perceived missteps, his confrontational style, and his absence from numerous debates.
His opponent, Nicușor Dan, is banking on support from pro-European voters and those who abstained during the first round, which saw only 53 percent turnout.
“I urge Romanians to go out and vote, because the future path of Romania depends on all of us,” Dan said on the eve of the vote. A staunch supporter of Kyiv, Dan is a vocal advocate for continued aid to Ukraine.
Romania has established a fighter jet pilot training center for Ukrainian forces and donated a Patriot missile defense system to Kyiv, while also facilitating grain exports through its Black Sea port of Constanța.
Simion has vowed to curtail this support, calling for “financial compensation” for Romania’s aid and demanding “neutrality rather than escalation through arms deliveries,” while insisting he is no “friend” of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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