Democracy and Its Trials: Lessons for Romania

Beyond the euphoria over the victories of opposition forces in neighboring countries—Hungary and Serbia—I nevertheless note something important for the entire region. Both countries have demonstrated that they are, after all, functioning democratic regimes. The will of the people prevailed and led to the overthrow of leaders and parties considered illiberal and autocratic, which had been in power for very long periods. Regimes which, incidentally, perhaps were not entirely illiberal and autocratic to the extent of completely nullifying the will of the people, that is, the foundation of democracy.

Now the test of time remains for those who have taken or will take power, along with the hope that they will not repeat the Viktor Orbán model—a leader and a movement that were equally euphoric for the democratic world when they came to power in the 1990s.

As for us, it remains to be seen whether or not this breath of fresh, pro-European air from our neighbors will also have an effect in Romania, where anti-system tendencies and protest voting are, for now, being captured by forces that are rather hostile to the European democratic model.

The next two years could change this paradigm—or not, especially since the opposition is no longer the monopoly of a single party.

I am left with the positive conclusion: despite the catastrophic warnings concerning the collapse of democratic worlds, both Hungary and Serbia have demonstrated, in difficult times of war and perpetual crises, that they are living, authentic democracies.

And with the prospect that in Romania, the model of the PRO-EUROPEAN PATRIOT, attached to European democratic values and to the Community project, yet deeply loyal to national economic interests, just as is the case in the major European states, will prevail in the long term.