Debunking Myths About Romania’s Flawed Democracy

Many misconceptions surround Romania's political landscape, particularly regarding the role of the secret services and former President Klaus Johannis. The reality is more complex than the portrayal suggests, as a closer look at the Democracy Index reveals.

The Reality Behind Romania's Democracy

First and foremost, Romania is classified as a "flawed democracy" by The Economist's Democracy Index. This is not unique; countries like the United States, Italy, Belgium, and Portugal share the same categorization. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither was a mature democracy. Romania's score of 6.45 out of 10 indicates areas for improvement.

Assessing Romania's Democracy Score

The Democracy Index evaluates Romania through five categories:

Electoral process and pluralism - 9.17: Significantly higher than the index average. Functioning of government - 6.43: Slightly below average, but within acceptable margins. Political participation - 5.56: A significant area for improvement. Political culture - 3.75: The lowest score, indicating deep challenges. Civil liberties - 7.35: Close to the average, but room for enhancement.

Comparative Analysis

Let's compare Romania to neighboring countries and see where we stand:

Hungary Electoral process and pluralism - 8.33 Functioning of government - 6.79 Political participation - 4.44 Political culture - 6.88 Civil liberties - 6.76 Bulgaria Electoral process and pluralism - 9.17 Functioning of government - 5.36 Political participation - 6.11 Political culture - 4.38 Civil liberties - 7.65

Looking at these scores, it becomes clear that Romania is not uniquely deficient. While our political culture (3.75) is far below the average (6.00) of countries like Poland (politics culture - 6.92), we still outperform some of our neighbors. However, this is more the reflection of our society's challenges rather than any direct influence from the secret services or top political figures.

Blaming the Wrong Actors

The suggestion that secret services and politicians are the sole culprits for Romania's poor political culture is misguided. Media outlets, particularly those aligned with political parties, often propagate false narratives that contribute to a pessimistic and disillusioned electorate. This has led to low political participation and a lack of understanding of the democratic process.

Improving these areas would significantly enhance our democracy. For instance, if we were to achieve a "6.00" in political culture and participation, we would match Poland's overall score. A slight improvement in these areas would elevate our ranking to that of Belgium.

Learning from Neighbors

Examining the political landscape of neighboring countries can provide valuable insights. For instance, Bulgaria, despite some advantages, still faces challenges in political participation and culture, similar to Romania. Hungary, on the other hand, has a strong leader but is eroding important democratic elements. Serbia, Bosnia, and Belarus face unique challenges, but there are lessons to be learned from their experiences.

The Romanian government and society must focus on improving political culture and participation. This involves ensuring free and fair media, fostering civil society engagement, and enhancing transparency and accountability in governance. Only then can we move closer to a truly functional democracy.