Romania’s TikTok upset boosts Putin

Romania’s presidential election delivered a TikTok-fueled political shock, with pro-Russia, far-right candidate Călin Georgescu winning the first round. His unexpected rise has stunned the establishment and raised serious questions about NATO, Ukraine, and Europe’s future.

EU Confidential host Sarah Wheaton speaks with former NATO spokesperson and Romanian native Oana Lungescu to unpack what Georgescu’s victory means for European security, and how Trump’s return to the White House could fuel the far-right and Euroskeptic wave spreading across the continent.

Later, POLITICO’s Max Griera breaks down the final vote on Ursula von der Leyen’s new European Commission and the backroom deals that made it happen, revealing shifting power dynamics in Brussels.