EU Election Interference in Romania: A Timeline

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen meets Romanian President Klaus Iohannis and Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu in Bucharest ahead of the EPP Congress. The meeting occurs two days before the adoption of Government Emergency Ordinance 21/2024.

At the EPP Congress in Bucharest, Ursula von der Leyen declared: 'Our peaceful and united Europe is being challenged like never before by populists, nationalists, and demagogues… they want to trample on our values and destroy our Europe.' Speech framed the June 2024 European elections as an existential confrontation.

Venice Commission adopts Opinion CDL-AD(2025)014 examining Romania's use of an emergency ordinance to modify electoral law three months before elections. Opinion confirmed violation of the one-year electoral stability principle.

Signatories of the EU Code of Practice on Disinformation announce the activation of a Rapid Response System ahead of the June 2024 European elections. The system coordinates platform measures related to election integrity and disinformation risks.

European Parliament elections are held between 6 and 9 June 2024 across all 27 EU member states. Several countries, including Romania, organise concurrent national or local elections.

US Department of State issues a statement expressing concern regarding malign cyber activity during Romania’s presidential elections.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken states at the OSCE Ministerial Council that Russia had conducted a large-scale effort to influence elections.

The European Commission convenes very large online platforms and search engines to monitor election readiness for the Romanian Presidential and Parliamentary elections, activating measures under the Digital Services Act.

European Commission sends a request for information to TikTok asking it to explain any changes to its processes, controls and systems for monitoring and detecting systemic risks to civic discourse and electoral processes, in light of claims by civil society organisations, Romanian authorities and intelligence documents declassified on 4 December 2024.

French President Emmanuel Macron expresses support for presidential candidate Elena Lasconi during a video call ahead of the runoff.

Six former US ambassadors to Romania publish an open letter expressing concern regarding the presidential election and alleged pro-Russian influence.

TikTok replies to the European Commission’s request for information regarding election risk mitigation measures; Mentions a partnership with Funky Citizens.

European Fact-Checking Standards Network issues a statement calling on TikTok to intensify measures against disinformation following the Romanian elections.

European Commission opens formal proceedings against TikTok under the Digital Services Act concerning election-related systemic risks.

Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas declares: 'As we recently saw in Romania, Moldova and Georgia, Russia does not stop its attempts to undermine and destabilise our Union and our partners'

Meta announces that it would phase out its third-party fact-checking program, stating that the system no longer met its objectives. Contract with Funky Citizens continues for the whole year 2025

Former European Commissioner Thierry Breton states publicly that the precedent set in Romania could justify annulling elections in other EU member states, including Germany.

Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas declares: 'Putin’s regime is already undertaking increasingly brazen acts of sabotage: cyber-attacks in Spain and Czechia; election interference in Romania and Moldova [..]'

Venice Commission issues Opinion CDL-AD(2025)003 setting procedural limits on constitutional courts’ power to annul elections, including requirements for transparency, adversarial process, and reliance on non-classified evidence.

France’s VIGINUM publishes a report analysing information manipulation during Romania’s 2024 presidential election, with a focus on TikTok-related amplification techniques.

During a live video address, French President Emmanuel Macron states: 'This is due to the fact that the Supreme (sic) Court identified that, massively, Russia, through what are called proxies — that is to say intermediary channels, fake accounts, relays — had manipulated these elections, including through a massive use of certain social networks. And had in fact pushed, even paid for votes, transformed and completely altered the sincerity of the ballot.'

In a public address to the French nation, President Emmanuel Macron states: 'President Putin’s Russia violates our borders to murder his opponents and manipulates elections in Romania and Moldova.'

When releasing the EEAS report on Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI), Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas inflates on the report's data during her speech: 80 targeted countries become 90, 200 organisations attacked become 300, and Romania is mentioned, although not covered by the report nor present in her written foreword statement.

EU Code of Practice on Disinformation Rapid Response System was activated for Romania’s 2025 presidential elections starting 7 April 2025.

TikTok announces election integrity measures for Romania’s 2025 presidential elections, including cooperation with Funky Citizens and participation in the EU Rapid Response System.

Renew Europe formally endorses Nicușor Dan for the Romanian presidential rerun.

Seven former U.S. ambassadors to Romania publish a joint letter addressing the Romanian presidential election.

GLOBSEC publishes its Trends 2025 report, including analysis on Romania citing Expert Forum.

Valérie Hayer states publicly that Renew Europe would campaign in support of Nicușor Dan ahead of the Romanian presidential runoff.

French President Emmanuel Macron publicly expresses support for Nicușor Dan during Romania’s presidential campaign.