The TikTokers accused of triggering an election scandal
Unlabelled political ads, thousands of inauthentic accounts and mysterious comments- we hear from influencers about campaigns which led to the cancellation of Romania’s election.
BBC Trending speaks to influencers about the campaigns which led to the cancellation of Romania’s December election.
They describe it as a wave. In the days before the presidential elections, influencers watched comments and content pour across TikTok in support of obscure far-right independent candidate Calin Georgescu. Georgescu’s victory was annulled and he has been banned from running in May's elections. Influencers at the heart of the story explain how it happened and demand answers.
Presenter: Rowan Ings
Producer: Georgiana Tudor
Additional reporting: Oana Marocico
Editor: Flora Carmichael
TikTok montage credit: Emma Audrey / Media 25 / Radio BIP
Voices in translation: Ariana Tudor and Masi Tudor
Last on
Broadcasts
Sat 10 May 202504:32GMTLive News- Sat 10 May 202504:32GMTBBC World Service
- Sat 10 May 202517:32GMTBBC World Service Online, Americas and the Caribbean, UK DAB/Freeview, News Internet & Europe and the Middle East only
- Sun 11 May 202500:32GMTLive News
- Sun 11 May 202500:32GMTBBC World Service
- Sun 11 May 202508:32GMTBBC World Service West and Central Africa
- Sun 11 May 202510:32GMTBBC World Service except East and Southern Africa, Europe and the Middle East & West and Central Africa
- Sun 11 May 202521:32GMTBBC World Service East and Southern Africa, South Asia, West and Central Africa & East Asia only
Podcast
![]()
Trending
In-depth reporting on the world of social media
