Călin Georgescu, the Putin admirer and TikTok sensation reshaping Romanian politics

A large majority of Romanian citizens found themselves on Monday asking a pressing question: Who is Călin Georgescu? The politician won the first round of Romania’s presidential elections on Sunday, receiving over two million votes, representing 22.95% of the electorate. The question is how this far-right populist — a relatively obscure figure with ties to Russia and rhetoric threatening Romania’s pro-West trajectory — managed to secure so much support despite lacking backing from any political party. However, despite his surprise victory on Sunday, the independent candidate faces an uphill battle to claim the presidency.

Georgescu, who now leads the race in the European Union’s sixth most populous country, has stirred controversy with his antisemitic, anti-Western, and nationalist discourse. He frequently lauds the Kremlin, suggesting that Romania’s best course lies in embracing “Russian wisdom,” and argues that the EU and NATO fail to represent Romania’s interests. Georgescu has also echoed Kremlin propaganda by claiming that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — a neighboring country, with which Romania shares a 650-kilometer border — was orchestrated by U.S. defense companies. He has also publicly praised Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling him “a man who loves his country.”

During an election debate on the Digi24 channel, Georgescu dodged repeated questions about whether he admired Putin, refusing to give a direct “yes” or “no” answer. Growing visibly irritated, he dismissed the inquiry, claiming he had been asked too often. He has also declared his admiration for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, praising Orbán’s negotiation skills on the international stage.

In the run-off, Georgescu will face Elena Lasconi, a former center-right journalist. Lasconi triumphed over Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu — a Social Democrat widely regarded as the favorite in pre-election polls — thanks to strong support from Romania’s diaspora, with results confirmed early Monday morning. The decisive showdown between Georgescu, 62, and Lasconi, 52, will take place on December 8, one week after the legislative elections.

Georgescu’s meteoric rise caught pollsters off guard. His unexpected success is widely attributed to his campaign on TikTok, the Chinese social media platform particularly popular among young people. While it is too early to fully analyze his surprise victory, experts argue strong social media presence was a key factor. It is now known how much Georgescu invested in promoting himself on these platforms.

An analysis by the news portal G4Media.ro reports that Georgescu’s TikTok following spiked ahead of the first round thanks to a surge in hashtags featuring his name during. His TikTok profile, which has over 65,000 followers and 1.3 million likes, gained an additional 30,000 followers in the final week of the campaign. The video announcing his candidacy saw its views skyrocket from 500,000 to over 800,000.

TikTok is also the platform of choice for Diana Șoșoacă, a member of the European Parliament and leader of the extremist S.O.S. Romania party. Șoșoacă shares Georgescu’s anti-Ukraine, anti-EU, and anti-NATO stance. The Supreme Court invalidated her candidacy but did not explain the decision. Local media claimed it was for endangering national security.

Georgescu’s appeal seems to tap into widespread discontent with traditional political parties. “Without politicians who act as unifying leaders, people will look for saviors,” says sociologist Gelu Duminică. According to Duminică, a professor of political science at the University of Bucharest, democratic parties have distanced themselves from the concerns of ordinary citizens, leaving many feeling abandoned. He adds that the constant infighting among traditional politicians has further alienated voters, pushing them toward outsider candidates like Georgescu.

Expelled from an ultra party

Georgescu has been nominated for the post of prime minister five times over the past decade. His nominations came from the Romanian Civil Society Federation — an organization that infamously congratulated Russia on the annexation of Crimea — and the far-right AUR party in 2016 and 2020, respectively. Although Georgescu once served as the honorary president of AUR, he was expelled for his increasingly radical ideas and after accusing its leader, George Simion, of “secretly supporting the Social Democratic Party.”

Born on March 26, 1962, in Bucharest, Georgescu studied at the Institute of Agronomy and worked for 17 years at the United Nations in environmental conservation. He has one son with Cristela Georgescu, who describes herself on her website as “a naturopathic educator with 20 years of personal experience in natural health, focusing on integral nutrition, apiphytotherapy, gemmotherapy, regenerative detoxification, clinical iridology, bioresonance, and emotional release techniques.”

Georgescu’s nationalist rhetoric often targets foreign companies operating in Romania, accusing them of exploiting the country’s natural resources. This message evokes the protectionist themes associated with former communist dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu. In a televised address, Georgescu praised Romanian legionnaire leader Corneliu Zelea Codreanu and Marshal Ion Antonescu — figures tied to Romania’s alliance with Nazi Germany during World War II — describing them as “heroes of the Romanian nation.” These statements provoked strong criticism from the Jewish community and historians, and the Attorney General’s Office opened a criminal investigation against him for allegedly promoting the cult of individuals responsible for genocide and war crimes.

The dangers of Georgescu’s ideology were flagged as early as 2022 by Austrian historian Oliver Jens Schmitt. “Underestimated by the public, but very present in provincial circles, is the self-proclaimed leader of the Ancestral Earth Movement, Călin Georgescu,” he told Spotmedia. “He stages himself with a clearly neolegionary language; he even imitates Codreanu’s slow way of speaking; his movement clearly uses neolegionary symbolism, such as the color green, and stands out through legionary strategies, such as work camps, which are presented in a media-friendly way.”

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