Manipulation and Disinformation in the 2024 Romanian Presidential Elections
Manipulation and Disinformation in the 2024 Romanian Presidential Elections
Author(s): Mihai VacariuSubject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Politics, Social Sciences, Communication studies, Electoral systems, Fake News - Disinformation
Published by: Editura Academiei Forțelor Aeriene „Henri Coandă”
Keywords: digital media; disinformation; electoral manipulation; microtargeting; collective psychology;
Summary/Abstract: The 2024 Romanian presidential elections marked the emergence of a new model of digital populism, driven not by ideology but by algorithmic virality, collective emotion, and participatory disinformation. This article analyzes the rapid rise of Călin Georgescu, an independent candidate who mobilized anger, fear, and resentment through a coordinated online campaign rooted in anti-system, anti-EU, and anti-Ukraine narratives. Drawing on theories of collective psychology, mimetic behavior, and affective publics, the study introduces the concept of mimetic voting in networked environments to explain how thousands of voters coalesced around a candidate most had not heard of two weeks before the election. By situating the Romanian case within the broader context of hybrid threats and post-truth populism in Eastern Europe, this paper reveals how social platforms no longer just disseminate political content — they construct political identity itself.
Journal: Redefining Community in Intercultural Context
- Issue Year: 12/2025
- Issue No: 1
- Page Range: 81-88
- Page Count: 8
- Language: English
