The Big Tate Controversy

2 min read

Romania found itself in a peculiar and ironic predicament, thanks to the dynamically shifting state of international politics. Under the strange combo of demands for fairness, diplomatic traditions and the unpredictability introduced by the growing influence of tech billionaires, Bucharest faced a modern Gordian knot in the form of Andrew Tate.

The influencer-criminal’s story seems almost too ridiculous to be true: a Tate-tale in which justice, power and irony intersect in ways that might enlighten, but not entirely chill out.

If you are unfamiliar with the story, it might be because you consume different sort of YouTube content.

Andrew Tate, and his equally infamous brother, was known for his provocative opinions on femininity, success and masculinity, who became a lighting rod for controversy thanks to his frequent misogynistic comments and controversial statements. His courageous and fearless online persona, his promises of wealth, power and dominance served as magnets for young men, particularly those who felt like they were being let down or marginalized.

Alas, the other side of the coin is a dark story: in 2022, he was apprehended in Romania on charges of human trafficking, sexual assault, and organized crime. Back then, the arrest was considered a significant setback for his public image and was celebrated as a triumph by those who had long warned about his toxic reputation. The man who had established his empire by using and abusing others was finally facing consequences. (Since that time, Mr. Tate was also accused in the United Kingdom of tax evasion, sexual assault and human trafficking.)

At first sight, the evidence, collected through wide international collaboration seemed strong and the charges were thought to be serious. Hence, it seemed that Tate would serve long time in prison.

Luckily for Tate, the wheels of justice and diplomacy might not only both turn slowly, but sometimes they do it somewhat ambiguously.

Fast forward to 2025, and the world has undergone a significant shift.

Tech mogul Elon Musk has a strong presence not only in the electric car industry and space exploration. He has expressed strong views about European politics, voicing vocal support or criticism both in Germany and the United Kingdom. The latter saw a heated exchange of words between Musk and Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Musk even went so far as to suggest that King Charles should dissolve the parliament, and repeatedly demanded the release of far-right activist Tommy Robinson.

Bucharest has always had a keen eye to follow the changes of wind in Washington.

It might be completely coincidental, of course, but the timing is fortunate: before Elon Musk could have targeted the Romanian government with similar demands, Andrew Tate was set free as his house arrest was replaced judicial supervision.

No, the procedure hadn’t stopped, yet, though a first criminal case against him failed in last December, when the court of appeals rules that the case couldn’t proceed to trial in its current form. The court also removed several pieces of evidence, claiming that those were inadmissible.

Well, Tate is not only free, but he also announced the launch of his own political party, Britain Restoring Underlying Values, or shortly BRUV and has expressed his intention to run for the UK’s prime minister. The new party is on the same ideological path as Mr. Musk: committed to ‘restoring traditional values’ and ‘fighting against cultural decay’, along with claiming the country’s politics a ‘general failure’.

In no time, Mr. Musk has publicly endorsed Tate’s political goals, posting on X ‘he’s not wrong’. As he did it several times in the past. When BRUV’s account on X was temporarily suspended, Mr. Musk restored quickly. Tate publicly thanked Musk, calling him ‘brother’.

The release of Tate from house arrest got mixed reception in Romania.

There were some who claimed that Tate’s release was the lesser evil, a pragmatic action to prevent Mr. Musk from meddling with Romania’s domestic issues and that it reflects the harsh realities of modern geopolitics.

But there were many who considered it a breach of justice and as a step that established a dangerous precedent, threatening the rule of law. That the country, that once was the poster child of anti-corruption fight and gave the EU its chief prosecutor now abandoned this path and chose to put political considerations ahead of sovereignty and judicial independence.

Not to mention the series of ethical questions it raises, whether justice truly depends on the whims of influential tech moguls.

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