George Simion is one of the most popular politicians, and on social networks is a leader in figures. It is not as well as his counter -candidate in the final presidential race, Nicușor Dan. The appreciations on the online platforms do not automatically turn into votes, stresses the communication expert Radu Delotte.
The two candidates spent tens of millions of lei in the Profimedia photo online campaigns
George Simion has the most followers on Facebook, at a difference of one million followers towards Nicușor Dan. The advance of the gold candidate repeats on Tiktok, and Instagram. In total, the figures sit in the first place among the Romanian politicians George Simion in terms of online popularity.
Specifically, George Simion has 1.6 million followers on Facebook, 1.5 million on Tiktok and 64,300 on Instagram. Nicușor Dan has 504,000 fans on Facebook, 233,901 on Tiktok and 730,000 on Instagram.
In fact, George Simion has been a constant presence on social networks in recent years, where he transmitted live from Parliament and interacted through comments with internets. The online environment is also the one where the party campaigned in 2020 and managed to enter the Romanian Parliament.
The “truth” tried to find out how much the figures help the presidential candidates online and if it really represents an advantage in the presidential race.
Is he an advantageous candidate?
“Simion was much earlier there, present on Social Media, than Nicușor Dan. Nicușor began a communication on social media as he has today, not long. He really started a few weeks ago. Or Simion is on social media for much time. And this is seen in figures,” emphasizes the communication expert Radu Delotote.
However, the communication expert explains that social media likes do not automatically translate into votes, because they can go in both directions. What can account for such an audience is a greater civic assumption of the Internet users: “Rather, an equal vote, if you succeed, like a politician, convince those supporters who gave you a Like to give you the message. Because, look, if I become the message ambassador to one of them, so my vote can be accounted for.”
According to the communication specialist, in the case of the two candidates, there is a difference in campaign in the online environment. “The supporters share what George Simion says, while if you search Tiktok with Nicușor Dan, you will first find pages of supporters, so practically another type of campaign. (…) The communication typology is different.explained Radu Delotote.
Radu Delotte also stressed that in the case of promotion from the online environment is an element that plays an important role and has been defining at the ballot canceled in 2024:
“All Calin Georgescu’s messages were distributed on the Dark Social Media system. What does Dark Social Media mean? It means social media that can’t be accounted for. It’s not bad. It’s something that happens in the shadow. It’s not something Shady. He simply posts on social media, Tiktok, Facebook, Instagram and any other environments. WhatsApp, in all these groups, in which you do not have access and you do not know what can be distributed, in fact, his messages were reached ”.
How many candidates for promotion in the campaign have invested
A report by Expert Forum looked at the end of the campaign for the 1st round that the 2025 elections are the most expensive presidential elections in history, and the total declared revenues reached 180 million lei. Nicuşor Dan declared contributions of 20.4 million lei. George Simion declared 12 million lei on April 30. So far, the candidate had not declared contributions (only the party had transferred funds). Gold also transferred to the candidate George Simion from loans in total 26.9 million lei.
In total, the competitors spent 144 million. Nicuşor Dan declared 20.3 million lei, and George Simion (gold) 20 million lei. All competitors in round I spent together between April 4 and May 3, 9.2 million lei for paid meta promotion services. Nicușor Dan spent 72% of money (15 million lei) for online, and gold paid 60% for online (12 million lei).
