Who is Calin Georgescu? Right Wing 'TikTok Star' Banned From Romania's Presidential Race, Backed by Musk and Vance

Calin Georgescu, a far-right politician, was barred from participating in Romania's upcoming presidential election rerun, scheduled for May 2025. The decision, issued by Romania's Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) on Sunday, follows the annulment of the first round of the election held in November 2024, which Georgescu won.

However, Georgescu's recent ban from participating in the election rerun has ignited protests and violent clashes in the country.

As a right-wing figure, Georgescu, 62, is supported by international political figures like the US Vice President JD Vance, as well as President Donald Trump's advisor - billionaire Elon Musk. Georgescu has also earned himself quite a presence on social media by becoming a self-styled 'Tik-Tok star.' Here's a closer look at who Georgescu is and the events surrounding his controversial candidacy.

Calin Georgescu's Background and Political Backlash

Georgescu was born in Bucharest in 1962 and holds a doctorate in pedology, a branch of soil science. From 1999 to 2012, he represented Romania on the national committee of the United Nations Environment Program. Georgescu is married to Cristela Georgescu and has three sons.

A strong supporter of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Georgescu has stirred controversy for referring to Romanian fascist and nationalist leaders from the 1930s and 1940s as national heroes. He has also praised Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling him 'a man who loves his country' and described Ukraine as 'an invented state,' though he denies being pro-Russian.

In November 2024, Georgescu came first in the presidential election's first round. However, Romanian authorities later revealed that over 800 TikTok accounts linked to Russian interests had supported him, prompting the annulment of the election results.

Now, Georgescu, who was planning to participate in the presidential election rerun, was barred by Romania's electoral bureau. The BEC said the decision was followed by 'the candidate's failure to comply with electoral regulations.' They added, 'It would be unacceptable for the restarted election process to consider the same individual as eligible for the presidency.'

Georgescu has vehemently rejected the decision. Expressing his disappointment on X, he wrote, 'A direct blow to the heart of democracy worldwide! Europe is now a dictatorship, Romania is under tyranny!'

A Political Rise Fuelled by TikTok

One of the key factors behind Georgescu's political rise can be attributed to his strategic use of social media, particularly TikTok.

In the months before the first round of voting, Georgescu's TikTok account gained significant attention. His account reportedly has 4.3 million likes and 679,000 followers. He usually posts about nationalism, anti-establishment rhetoric, and peace, which resonated with many Romanians.

However, according to a report by Expert Forum, a Bucharest-based think tank, Georgescu's TikTok received massive attention that appeared 'sudden and artificial, similar to his polling results.' The report stated, 'The most visible theme pushed by Calin Georgescu on TikTok in the last two months is peace, more precisely the need for Romania to stop supporting Ukraine in order not to involve Romania in war.'

According to reports, Georgescu followed a very unconventional campaigning style during the first round of the presidential election in 2024. With no headquarters, no presence on TV, and no affiliation with a political party, Georgescu's driving force was social media. He used to release podcast-style videos in which he often shared his agenda as a candidate.

In one such video, which gained 3.1 million views and over 85,000 likes, he said, 'We're not just voting for the president on November 24, we're choosing which side of history we'll be on.' During an interview, he has also made a very controversial comment by saying that women are incapable of leading Romania and called feminism an 'absolute dirt.'

However, very soon after the election, critics observed the unusual attention and activities on Georgescu's TikTok.

A few days after the election results were announced, Georgescu emerged as the winner by some 22.95% of the votes, and one of the nation's watchdogs asked the European Commission to open an investigation into the role of TikTok in the elections.

Support From Elon Musk and JD Vance

Billionaire and Trump ally Elon Musk stepped in to show his support for Georgescu by expressing disapproval of his disqualification. In response to a post about the ban on Georgescu from the presidential election, Musk wrote on X, 'This is crazy!' It's not the first time Musk has spoken on this issue.

In February 2024, when Geo was detained and taken up for questioning by the police, Musk said, 'They just arrested the person who won the most votes in the Romanian presidential election. This is messed up.' His backing is not limited to Musk.

Another major figure from the Trump squad, Vice President JD Vance, has also been an outspoken critic of the decision. 'If your democracy can be destroyed with a few hundred thousand dollars (euros) of digital advertising from a foreign country—then it wasn't very strong to begin with,' he said during a conference.

The Outcome of the Ban

Since the ban was announced on Calin Georgescu, a protest has erupted in Romania's capital, Bucharest, which turned violent as thousands of Georgescu supporters gathered outside the election bureau. According to reports, on Sunday night some protesters overturned a news vehicle and set a bush ablaze to express their anger against the bureau.

On Monday, it was reported that Georgescu will likely challenge the decision, according to one of his advisors.