The European Union and Democratization in Romania after 2007

The democratization process started in Romania during 1989 with some governmental improvisation under mounting pressure for change. This chapter outlines Romania’s democratic journey since 1989 and how the EU impacted Romania’s democracy-building by using EU accession criteria. Before focusing on the post-1989 systemic change that Romania underwent, like its Central and East European counterparts, the chapter highlights the characteristics of the Communist regime and outlines the events that led to the systemic collapse. To take stalk of this is necessary to realistically assess post-1989 developments, their limits and achievements