The Central Electoral Commission (CEC) has issued a warning to the “Democracy at Home” party, led by Vasile Costiuc, for failing to declare expenses related to social media promotion, particularly on TikTok. The decision was adopted on October 1, 2025, with six votes in favor, one against, and two abstentions.
According to the CEC, the party reported zero lei spent on online advertising, despite running an intensive promotional campaign on TikTok between September 15 and 22. Several accounts, operated from Romania and with thousands of followers, actively disseminated messages in support of Vasile Costiuc.
“The party benefited from consistent media support through a network coordinated by 17 TikTok accounts. Maintaining such a network likely requires financial backing, which was not reflected in the submitted financial report – a violation of the legal framework,” stated CEC vice president Pavel Postica.
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He further reminded that foreign involvement in electoral campaigns could result in the disqualification of a candidate. However, since the elections have concluded, the sanction applied was a simple symbolic warning.
In response, the party’s treasurer denied the accusations, noting that “Democracy at Home” has notified the Prosecutor’s Office to identify those behind the TikTok accounts.
A report by Expert Forum, released on August 22, revealed that the TikTok network promoting Costiuc’s messages generated over 1 million views in a single week, a 300% increase compared to the previous period.
Despite the controversy, according to preliminary final results, “Democracy at Home” secured 5.6% of the votes in the parliamentary elections, winning six seats in the new legislature.