Andrew Richard Ryder
Andrew Richard Ryder argues that Trump is intent on political vandalism that will undermine the postwar rules-based international order. That order may not have been perfect, but Trump's administration desires a return to interwar dog-eat-dog expansionism and virulent nationalism. Forthcoming elections in Hungary in April, and the USA in November, represent an important opportunity to thwart these regressive ambitions Read more
Visnja Vukov
Comparing Central and Eastern Europe with the Western Balkans, Visnja Vukov argues that the EU’s governance of economic integration is a decisive lever of transformation. When the EU prioritises and credibly enforces these requirements, it constrains rent-seeking and weakens state capture. When the EU defers them, however, governments can entrench clientelist political–economic coalitions Read more
Madalina Botan
Romania’s recent elections didn’t just happen at the ballot box. They unfolded across TikTok, Facebook, X, and other similar platforms on which nationalism, conspiracy, and algorithmic propaganda turned fringe voices into front-page politics. Madalina Botan argues that this digital battleground expanded beyond borders, as Romanians abroad became powerful co-authors of a polarised political story Read more
Gabriela-Elena Plăpămaru
Amid rising illiberalism, Romanian democratic institutions face growing pressure. Gabriela Plăpămaru reveals how the traditional right tried to undermine Romania’s education sector — and how progressives responded with institutional resilience Read more
Paula Iacobescu
In countries the world over, the patriotic man is the face of illiberal masculinity. Paula Iacobescu explores the illiberal male ideal in contemporary Romanian politics, through its figurehead, George Simion Read more
Avery Gozu
Anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment has surged in Romania, especially since the 2024 presidential elections. Avery Gozu argues that illiberal candidates' weaponisation of homophobia runs deeper than surface-level insults – it is embedded in a socio-cultural web of hetero-nationalism and hegemonic masculinity Read more
Mimi Mihăilescu
In May, Romanian reality star Teodora Marcu was shot dead by her former partner. Thousands marched in protest, but the state remained silent. Mimi Mihăilescu argues that Romania’s democracy, which has long excluded women from power, must confront the systems that render women's deaths predictable and politically acceptable Read more
Beáta Bakó
Membership of the EU no longer guarantees access to its core benefits. With funding now tied to rule-of-law compliance, aspiring member states are subject to increasing scrutiny. Beáta Bakó examines how this shift reshapes accession prospects – and why candidate countries may find themselves caught in a new cycle of disillusionment Read more
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