Democracy Day highlights vulnerabilities in Romania

September 15 marks the International Day of Democracy, a time for reflection on citizen participation and the functioning of public institutions. In Romania, the Democracy Index indicates the country remains a democracy but faces significant vulnerabilities.

Political instability has contributed to these challenges, as the country has lacked a government with full powers for over four months following the fall of the Bolojan cabinet. This vacuum has led to accumulated social dissatisfaction and mistrust. Recent protests in Victoriei Square, involving thousands of demonstrators including farmers, transitioned from economic demands to political confrontations with gendarmerie.

Emilian Mihailov, a professor at the University of Bucharest and director of the Center for Research in Applied Ethics, noted that while there are significant problems, protests hold value in a democracy by empowering the 'demos'. He highlighted that while peaceful protests are generally more effective at achieving goals, violent or highly aggressive demonstrations often fail by generating polarization and dividing groups.