Summary
- During the first half of 2024, Ukraine, Russia, and the USA dominated the discussions in the Romanian online space, topping both the volume of mentions and potential audience reach. EU and Germany followed, the latter’s visibility driven in part by its role in EURO 2024, as both host and high-level participant – the tournament also explained a large number of mentions about France and UK. Despite high-stakes events, NATO and Israel had fewer overall mentions, and China’s comparatively minimal presence in Romanian online sources suggests lower engagement.
- The report reveals that significant geopolitical events, such as the Ukraine conflict, along with the European football competition that captured public attention for over a month, have substantially influenced online discourse in Romania. The EU, despite a stable mention rate, showed high visibility during specific events like Europe Day and discussions on Moldova and Ukraine’s EU accession.
- In terms of thematic distribution, mentions about these geopolitical actors appeared mostly in contexts related to Security & Defense, Global Politics, Technology & Digitalization, as well as Sports for countries like Germany, France, UK, and Economy – for China. Hashtags repeatedly associated with mentions related to multiple actors, such as #ucraina, #nato, and #sua, underscored the prominence of the Ukraine conflict and NATO’s involvement, as well as US influence.
- Moreover, the analysis revealed that domestic issues, political affairs, and cultural contexts were also significant drivers of online discussions. The interplay between global and local narratives was evident, as domestic figures and national issues often intersected with international events, shaping the overall discourse.
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