Elena Lasconi, a presidential candidate with slim chances to enter the presidential final, attempted to deliver a final blow to her competitors, Nicușor Dan and Victor Ponta, by posting on her Facebook page photos with the two political figures visiting Florian Coldea, former deputy director of the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI) during the presidential terms of Traian Băsescu.
The respective images quickly proved to be false, with several reports from editors and photographers from both the country and abroad concluding that they had been manipulated.
„…in the area of the subject’s face, there are compression differences compared to the background, suggesting possible digital editing or insertion. The face is smoother than the rest of the image, and the outlines are too clear for low-light conditions. All of these raise suspicions of digital manipulation,” stated a report by photographer Cătălin Mărgescu.
Several dozen such reports have surfaced on social media and in the press, presenting arguments in favor of the theory that the respective images were manipulated.
Even when viewed with the naked eye, the photos have dubious elements. In one of them, magnified using a mobile phone's zoom function, it can be observed that the face of one of the individuals in the photos has been altered through a crude intervention in Photoshop or another image editing program to create the impression that it belongs to the mayor of Bucharest.
Doctored Video: Băsescu Hits a Child
In all electoral campaigns, political operatives seek to deliver a decisive blow in the final hours before the polling stations open. In Romania, such shocks have often been used to alter political hierarchies, favor one candidate over another.
One such episode occurred during the 2009 campaign when Mircea Geoană's team, heavily funded by media moguls Patriciu, Vântu, and Voiculescu, produced the famous clip "Băsescu Hits a Child." Watch the video here.
The video clip features a brief recording from an electoral meeting where Traian Băsescu, campaigning for a second term, pushes a 10-year-old child standing near the stage.
The footage was manipulated by accelerating the movement of Traian Băsescu's hand to create the illusion that he hit the child in the face.
The operation at the time was meticulous, disseminated in the press through sources, and extensively aired on television stations controlled at that time by the media mogul coalition.
The strategy might have had the desired effect if not for the swift emergence of experts who demonstrated that the footage had been altered externally, and the video conveyed false information.
In the end, the incumbent president won a second term by a margin of 71,000 votes. This particular episode mobilized some of Băsescu's voters from the first term who were undecided due to erosion and economic crisis, ensuring him additional supporters compared to Mircea Geoană.
Finalist in Elections Makes a Strange Decision
When the difference between two candidates is small, within the margin of error in polls, campaign teams are tempted to employ extreme strategies to create an advantage for one candidate or the other.
However, such political actions are double-edged swords, often backfiring against those who initiated them.
But there is something new in the Coldea visit episode compared to other similar incidents aimed at compromising a political competitor.
This time, the package of compromising information was delivered by one of the candidates and not just any of them.
Elena Lasconi made it to the presidential final in November 2024, alongside Călin Georgescu.
At that time, she garnered some support from the electorate, including the author of these lines, being seen as the option to maintain Romania's pro-European path.
The elections were annulled following a decision by the Constitutional Court, citing irregularities in campaign financing and foreign interference in favor of the pro-Russian candidate, Călin Georgescu.
In the Spirit of Truth
From that moment on, Elena Lasconi, the president of USR, spiraled into an inexplicable downfall.
She failed to handle a crisis communication, failed to rally the party behind her and develop a plan, to understand the value of opportunistic voting, to retain what she had achieved and to grow.
She misread how Trump's victory was perceived and its impact in Romania. Those who voted for her were not conservatives or supporters of the American president but rather fearful of him and the potential disaster he might cause. Soon after, these fears were confirmed by reality through JD Vance's attack on Romania.
Her inadequacy created tensions within the party, and after Nicușor Dan, the founder of USR and former party president, announced his candidacy, Elena Lasconi felt threatened and began to act erratically.
Instead of hiding the truth, I'd rather lose. I confess... why I decided to publish the photos. The truth is more important to me than anything, than any position. Even more important than the position of President of Romania.
Elena Lasconi, candidate for the presidency of Romania, explaining why she published the doctored images
She missed the wise decision to support the mayor of Bucharest, who according to polls had a better chance of victory than her, thus maintaining her position as the leader of USR and becoming an important power broker in Romanian politics.
She went from bad to worse, facing a revolt within USR against her, culminating in her sharing the photos of Nicușor Dan and Ponta.
"In the spirit of truth, I believe we all need some explanations for these photos," wrote Elena Lasconi on her Facebook page on May 1, 2025, at 8:49 PM, before hitting the publish button on the doctored images.
The wave of outrage and protests against her online led her to turn off her phone. Following that episode, she posted two more campaign videos on social media where she defended her decision.
There are many questions she must answer, from who sent her the email, whether she verified the images, consulted with anyone before publishing them, and was aware of the political risks she exposed herself to.
A Political Career Comes to an End
Voting has begun in the diaspora, and no one knows which candidates will reach the final round and who the future president will be, as the electoral process is ongoing, but what is known is that Elena Lasconi has ended her political career, at least for a while.
We consider that Elena Lasconi had the duty to verify the authenticity of the published photos before hurling serious accusations into the public sphere. USR is put in the position of distancing itself from these tactics that stem from the arsenal of the ruling political system and contradict our fundamental values.
USR, press release, distancing from Elena Lasconi
Regardless of the percentage she receives in the first round of the presidential elections, she will not be able to negotiate anything, as the electorate's hostility towards her has turned her into a toxic personality.
Most likely, she has already lost the entire support of the party, and in the days to come, her removal is imminent, left without any internal backing.
However, one question remains - what triggered this political suicide we witnessed in the last hours? The answer to it will determine the understanding of the mechanisms behind the candidates and how the power factions competing in these presidential elections have acted.