The TikTok platform needs to be regulated urgently, even in the 2024 election year, as it has become a base for extremist messages popular among young people, say Lucian Romaškanu (PSD) and Raresh Bohdan (PNL).

Both admit that traditional parties have lost the first communication battle with AUR on this social media platform.

In response, AUR leader George Simion accuses PNL and PSD of “totalitarian reflexes.” “They want to ban anything they can’t control.”

The backlash comes after a national poll in March showed AUR ranked first among all parties in Romania among 18- to 35-year-olds. The first elements of the study were published on Saturday by HotNews after discussions with the initiators. The study was commissioned by the NGO “Youth Votes” IRES. The intention to vote for AUR in the youth segment is around 15%, followed by USR and PNL.

• EXCLUSIVE National poll shows AUR will win most 18-35 vote ‘if election is held next Sunday’
• The first reaction of the UDR after the youth survey. Moshtyanu: “The fight for youth is between USR and AUR. And our polls show that they do not prefer the old parties.”