Politics of Fear and Frustration: The Rise of National Populism in Romania, 2020–22

• In Event: Precarious Stability?: East-Central Europe in the New Cold War

Abstract

This paper discusses the rise of national populism in Romania over the period 2020–22 by focusing on a new party, the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR). Because of an interplay of factors, including feelings of fear and frustration by large segments of the electorate in the year 2020 and vaccine hesitancy in the year 2021, AUR grew steadily until the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.

Author

• Dragos Petrescu, U of Bucharest (Romania)