By Luiza Ilie
BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Thousands of people rallied in the Romanian capital Bucharest late on Thursday in support of democracy ahead of a Sunday presidential election runoff that could see a far-right critic of the EU defeat a pro-European centrist candidate.
The Dec. 8 vote is the last of three consecutive ballots for both a new parliament and president in Romania, a member of the European Union and of NATO, and pits the far-right, pro-Russian candidate Calin Georgescu against centrist leader Elena Lasconi.
A Georgescu win would upend Romania's pro-Western politics, pushing it closer to a belt of states in central and eastern Europe with powerful far-right, Russia-friendly politicians, including Hungary, Slovakia and Austria.
Romanian musicians, film directors, actors and civic activists threw their weight behind Lasconi at the Thursday night rally in Bucharest, urging voters not to leave the country isolated in the EU and NATO.
An estimated 3,000 people chanted "Europe!" and "No Fascism" in freezing temperatures, carrying banners which said "Democracy is in danger" and "Our children will be free".
Far-right parties also performed well in last Sunday's parliamentary election in Romania, though the ruling Social Democrats emerged as the largest grouping and hope to cobble together a pro-EU coalition government.
U.S., French, German and Moldovan officials raised concerns after declassified documents showed Romania had been a target of "aggressive hybrid Russian attacks" during the election period.
SOCIAL MEDIA
The documents, declassified by Romania's top security council, showed Georgescu was massively promoted on social media platform TikTok through coordinated accounts, recommendation algorithms and paid promotion. Georgescu has declared zero funds spent in the campaign.
They also showed cyber attacks in a campaign which pointed to a foreign state. Russia has denied interfering and TikTok said it did not give Georgescu preferential treatment.
Romanian prosecutors said on Thursday they had opened a criminal investigation against Georgescu on suspicion of money laundering.
"Reports by Romanian authorities that Russian disinformation is influencing the presidential elections in Romania show: (Russian President Vladimir) Putin wants to divide us and to undermine the unity within the EU and NATO," Germany's foreign ministry said on social media platform X.
Moldova's President Maia Sandu, who herself won re-election in October despite what her pro-Western camp said was heavy Russian meddling, met Lasconi in Bucharest late on Thursday and endorsed her bid for Romania's presidency.
"In Moldova we know well the world promised by those who despise the West," said Sandu.
Romania has been the strongest supporter of its small neighbour's efforts to join the EU and the votes of Moldovans with dual Romanian citizenship will carry weight in Sunday's runoff. They are seen leaning towards Lasconi.
(Reporting by Luiza Ilie; additional reporting by Hakan Ersen; Editing by Gareth Jones)
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