"Collective responsibility"
Romania striving to become "a modern European country": the 2015 Colectiv protests as a flicker of change
General info
Author: Not mentioned
Newspaper: The Economist (online)
Publishing date: November 14 2015
Retrieved from: Link
Summary:
The background of the article consists in the protests caused by the Colectiv nightclub fire. The tragedy amplified the population’s dissatisfaction with political leadership and general corruption, as the fire was seen as a result of irresponsibility and incompetence. The resignation of prime-minister Victor Ponta as a reaction to public pressure is an achievement of democratic public pressure. Victor Ponta’s accusations of corruption are briefly outlined. Unlike the new president, Klaus Iohannis, Ponta seems to represent the “old order”.
The new prime minister appointed by Iohannis, the technocrat Dacian Ciolos, is introduced as a new flicker of hope, because he may provide the basis of a reshaping of Romanian politics. However, public pressure and change of political establishment do not suffice, because a “modern European country” also needs democratic institutions, which Romania has no memory of.
Analysis:
This article is well-balanced and more fact-oriented, displaying fewer personal opinions. The reader can also identify a rather optimistic tone. Instead of looking at Romania simply as an Eastern European or Balkan country, the author judges the good and bad points of Romanian politics with an objective eye. The mass of protestors is seen as another power in the state, capable of putting pressure on the establishment and produce change. Thus, Victor Ponta’s resignation is “the first time in Romania’s post-communist history that a leader stepped down because of public pressure”. Klaus Iohannis’ election is another positive element: it shows that Romanians ‘ nationalistic impulses have softened and that the society becomes more moderate.
However, the general hopeful tone of the article becomes more reserved in the last paragraph. “Creating institutions in a country that lacks any memory of them is hard. Just ask the Greeks” is the verdict. The small steps, although positive, do not seem to matter. Romania is still in Eastern Europe, after all.
