The five disinformation narratives about the war in Ukraine
Explicit calls to violence have been reported in conjunction with these themes, mainly with ones delegitimizing Romanian electoral institutions and presenting an imminent threat to Romanian livelihoods.
FACT-CHECKING CORNER
Based on Factual.ro‘s fact-checking work, we’ve identified several concerning trends in disinformation circulating ahead of the Romanian presidential elections.
Recent fact-checks have highlighted statements from two presidential candidates. Victor Ponta, former Prime Minister and ex-leader of PRO România, made a statement rated as false, claiming the European Union provided no help to Ukraine. This claim ignores the substantial political, financial, and military aid the EU has delivered since the war began. Meanwhile, Nicușor Dan, current Bucharest Mayor and independent candidate with former USR ties, had his statement about civil partnership and same-sex marriage legislation rated as truncated, as it omitted essential context regarding the status and interpretation of the legislative votes he referenced.
Our broader analysis of 74 fact-checked statements from Factual.ro reveals a troubling landscape: 54 statements were rated as false, 7 were lacking context, 2 were partially false, 2 were truncated, and only 2 were verified as true. The main themes of misinformation centered around Ukraine (18 statements), the European Union (29 statements), COVID-19 and vaccination (5 statements), climate change and environmental issues (7 statements), and artificial intelligence (4 statements).
Common fabrications included claims about Romania sending troops to Ukraine, false information about EU military coordination or digital currency policies, COVID-19 vaccine conspiracy theories, and misrepresentations of scientific facts or technologies. Key figures spreading false claims included Diana Șoșoacă (SOS senator), Anamaria Gavrilă (POT deputy), Angel Tîlvăr (Minister of Defense), and Ramona Ioana Bruynseels (former presidential candidate). The vast majority of false or misleading information originated from online sources, often amplifying narratives with nationalist, anti-EU, anti-vaccine, or conspiracy-driven themes.
EXPERTS ANALYSIS & OPINIONS
What makes Romania’s case particularly instructive is how quickly the disinformation playbook evolved after last year’s election annulment. Rather than simply denying institutional legitimacy, actors have built an entire parallel reality with its own internal logic and evidence ecosystem. The question isn’t whether voters will be exposed to this alternative framework—it’s whether reality itself remains a shared reference point in Romanian political discourse.
Romania stands at a fascinating junction where 20th century electoral mechanics meet 21st century information warfare. The resilience we’re witnessing isn’t in our institutions—which remain vulnerable—but in the civic networks forming between journalists, fact-checkers, and digital researchers. It’s like watching neural pathways develop in real-time: messy, fragile, but remarkably adaptive.
Funky Citizens operates at democracy’s intersection points this election cycle. Our accredited observers will document the tangible democratic process in polling stations across the country, while our digital teams track the invisible currents of manipulation online. These parallel efforts capture a singular truth: elections now happen simultaneously in physical space and in information ecosystems. What makes 2025 distinctive is how these realms increasingly influence each other—a narrative engineered online Monday might reshape voter behavior at ballot boxes Sunday.
Elena Calistru, president, Funky Citizens
CONCLUSION
As Romania enters the official presidential campaign period, the disinformation landscape presents serious challenges to democratic discourse. Most concerning is the persistence of false narratives surrounding Călin Georgescu, portrayed as Romania’s “rightful president” whose election was supposedly stolen by corrupt institutions. These claims have evolved into a complex web of misinformation that delegitimizes electoral institutions, promotes conspiracy theories about a “parallel state,” and stokes fears of imminent war or economic collapse.
The timing is particularly troubling, with presidential candidates already making false or misleading statements about critical issues like EU support for Ukraine and LGBTQ+ rights. With George Simion leading in the polls and three candidates competing for a potential runoff position, vigilance against disinformation will be essential as the May 4th election approaches, especially given the unprecedented circumstances following last year’s annulled elections and ongoing investigations into social media manipulation.
This newsletter is part of our ongoing work with the Bulgarian-Romanian Observatory of Digital Media, member of EDMO.
Author: Funky Citizens