Advanced search
image
Travel & living abroad

Europe

Romania

 Flag of Romania

Last reviewed: 03 September 2009

Country information

HISTORY

Recent History


From 1946 to 1989 Romania was ruled by the Communist Party, led after 1965 by Nicolae Ceausescu.  Following a popular uprising in the western town of Timisoara, which quickly spread to the rest of the country, the Ceausescu regime was overthrown and Ceausescu and his wife Elena were executed on 25th December 1989.  In the aftermath of the revolution a committee known as the National Salvation Front (FSN) led by former communists Ion Illiescu and Petre Roman assumed charge of the country.

Popular dissatisfaction with the new leadership who were seen by many as a continuation of the former regime led to demonstrations in 1990.  A large, protracted protest in Bucharest was broken up by 10,000 miners leaving seven dead and several hundred injured.  There still has not been a full explanation of why the miners took this action or on whose orders they acted.


1990 - 1996


The first post Ceausescu general election in May 1990 was won by the FSN and the first presidential election by Ion Iliescu.  The FSN later became the Party for Social Democracy in Romania (PDSR) and won the general election in 1992. This government's performance was mixed.  There was little progress in tackling corruption, reforming Romania's bureaucracy and introducing a market economy. However political pluralism and a vibrant free media did become entrenched.


1996 - 2000


In November 1996 Emil Constantinescu of the centre-right Democratic Convention (DC) won the presidential election and a coalition government of the DC, centre-left Union of Social Democrats and the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) formed a new government.  This coalition managed with some difficulty to remain together until the elections of 2000, but failed to perform well on the economy or the fight against corruption.


2000 – 2004


Disappointment with the Constantinescu government led to the return of Ion Illiescu as President in 2000 who appointed Adrian Nastase as PDSR Prime Minister.  The PDSR later changed its name to the PSD (Social Democrat Party). Elected on a platform of economic reform and integration with the west, Romania became a NATO member in 2004 and laid the foundations for Integration into to the EU in 2007.  The formation of a PD (Democrats) - PNL (Liberals) opposition coalition and emergence of the charismatic Democratic Party leader Traian Basescu who won the June 2004 local election to become mayor of Bucharest did however present voters with a real alternative to the PSD who were still considered by many to be a continuation of the pre 1989 regime.  The PSD lost both the Presidential and General election elections in Nov-Dec 2004.

Longer Historical Perspective


Dacia, a region roughly approximating to present-day Romania, was incorporated into the Roman Empire in AD 107.  Although the Roman presence lasted only until AD 271 Romanians continue to trace their national and linguistic birth back to this period.  The Romans were driven out by advancing Goths whose arrival, as well as those of later invaders, drew a veil over Romanian history until about the 13th Century.  After this date Romania's three main regions, Transylvania, Moldavia and Wallachia followed different paths of development until 1918.


Transylvania was variously under Hungarian, Ottoman or Habsburg rule until its incorporation into the Kingdom of Romania after the First World War.  Wallachia and Moldavia were feudal tributary states of the Ottoman Empire for most of their recorded history, but they produced some leaders who effectively opposed Ottoman rule, most famously, Stephen the Great in the 15th Century and Michael the Brave in the 16th Century.

Wallachia and Moldavia emerged from Ottoman rule in the 19th Century and achieved independence as the unified Kingdom of Romania in 1881.  Romania gained significant territories in the post-war peace settlement, including reunification with Transylvania in 1918.  It began WWII in alliance with the axis powers, but later switched sides.  In 1944 Soviet forces entered Romania and put pressure on King Michael to accept the appointment of a communist-led government.  In 1947 the King was forced to abdicate and left Romania for London.  Stalin also annexed Bessarabia, ceding a part to the Ukraine, but creating a Republic of Moldova from the rest and Transnistria.

Country information

Pick Another Country :

Share this with:

Travel Advice

Travel advice: Romania

 

See Also


Useful Links



Contacts

Romania, Bucharest, British Embassy

Address:

British Embassy, 24 Jules Michelet
010463 Bucharest, Romania

Telephone:

Visa (40) (21) 201 7300
Main (40) (21) 201 7200

Fax:

(40) (21) 201 7299 Chancery
(40) (21) 201 7317 Consular
(40) (21) 201 7315 Management
(40) (21) 201 7311 Trade Development

Email: Press.Bucharest@fco.gov.uk

Office hours:

GMT:
Mon-Thurs: 0630-1500; Fri: 0630-1400
(From last Sun Oct - last Sun Mar)
Mon-Thurs: 0530-1400; Fri: 0530-1300
(From last Sun Mar - last Sun Oct)

Local Time:
Mon-Thurs: 0830-1700; Fri: 0830-1600

Website: http://ukinromania.fco.gov.uk