Romanian president alarmed by rising nostalgia for communism: “Corruption and injustice have eroded public trust”

Romanian president Nicușor Dan has raised alarm over the growing nostalgia for communism revealed in a recent national survey. The study, conducted by INSCOP in collaboration with the Institute for the Investigation of Communist Crimes (IICMER), found that a majority of Romanians now view former dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu as a good leader.

According to the same survey, more than half of Romanians believe the communist regime was more of a good thing for Romania, with nearly 56% saying more positive than negative developments occurred under communism.

“In my opinion, the main reason more and more Romanians idealize communism is the deep disappointment with the political class of the past three decades. Corruption, lack of transparency, broken promises, and a sense of injustice have weakened people’s trust in both the present and the future,” president Dan said.

“When hope is betrayed year after year, nostalgia becomes a natural reaction, even if it’s based on a distorted image of the past,” he added.

The president also warned that disinformation campaigns are playing a dangerous role in shaping public memory. These efforts, he said, seek to undermine democratic values by presenting an appealing version of the communist era while hiding its harsh realities – repression, fear, food shortages, and a lack of freedom.

Dan called the public’s growing approval of Nicolae Ceaușescu a sign of how fragile Romania’s collective memory has become. “It shows how easily perceptions can be manipulated when the state fails to invest in civic and historical education and in honest communication with its citizens.”

He also urged authorities to counter disinformation, restore confidence through fair and effective policies, and build a Romania where justice, equity, and real progress are felt by all. 

“Romania cannot build a solid future by clinging to illusions of the past,” the president said. “We have a duty to learn from history, not to revive it.”

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Inquam Photos / George Călin)