GLOBSEC Trends 2022: Romania

Up until a year ago, Romania was considered to be among the most pro-Western countries in Central and Eastern Europe. The 2022 GLOBSEC Trends survey capturing the impact of the war in Ukraine on public perceptions, however, measured a decline in Western backing in Romania (the only country in the region to see such a shift) and a substantial rise in support for the East. At the same time, support for NATO membership and Romania’s strategic partnership with the US remains robust. 

For most Central and Eastern European states, dissatisfaction with how democracy works in their countries has been assessed as endemic.1 Perhaps influenced, among others, by the belligerent actions of Moscow, however, satisfaction with democracy as a governance system climbed across the region since 2020 by an average of 11%. Romania was the only surveyed country where satisfaction with democracy declined (from 30% to 23%) – Bucharest now ranks lowest in the region, on par with Bulgaria, on this question.  

This report, using various data-driven indicators, examines whether these developments can be considered part of a new trend or rather a small piece of a much more complex puzzle. It also provides an in-depth look into socio-demographic data and notable shifts within different sub-groups. 

Read more in the report below.