Democracy and good governance

There is no better guarantee for democracy in Europe and the world, other than that laid down by committed active citizens. As Friedrich Ebert himself put it, "democracy needs democrats". We believe that networked exchange and collective action driven by social democratic values make a democracy stronger, more resilient to today's challenges and more capable to ensure true and equal political participation for all citizens. We support initiatives to build and enlarge networks of progressive political actors in political parties, civil society organisations, trade unions and academia, who share the same democratic understanding of the social challenges ahead and take critical positions on current political issues of importance for Romania and Europe.

Sound and effective political action cannot be imagined without a clear understanding of what good governance can and should deliver. This is particularly relevant for local politics, where reality is always measured against people's immediate expectations. Encouraging young people to get involved in the nitty-gritty of decision-making, becoming familiar with how local and national political mechanisms work, interacting with their elected officials and holding them accountable has always been an integral part of our work.

These activities become even more important as the right-wing populist discourse, marked by xenophobia and intolerance towards minorities or immigrants, makes its presence felt throughout Europe again. Romania is no exception. When the acceptance of right-wing extremist attitudes in a society is more prevalent than it is recognized, it is even more critical to confront ideas that fail to recognize human dignity and reject the democratic social order, and to fight back hate speech, intolerance, anti-Semitism, as well as xenophobic and racist attitudes which determine the social relations to other ethnic, religious and sexual groups in society.

News

06.08.2025 | Democracy and good governance | News

Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Romania bids farewell to one of the central figures in the reconstruction of the Romanian state after 1989 – Ion Iliescu,…


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30.06.2025 | Democracy and good governance | Press releases

Press release


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27.06.2025 | Democracy and good governance | Publications, News

de Carmen Gheorghe, Eduard Bercuș


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Projects

Project

România în schimbare

Anul 2024 va fi un super-an electoral, în România fiind programate toate tipurile de alegeri: europene, locale, parlamentare și prezidențiale. more

Project

Friedrich Ebert Scholarship for young progressive activists

Annual program of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Romania in four weekend modules. more

Project

Simulation Game on Local Politics

Effective local governance needs young people. more

Project

For an active democracy - against right-wing extremism

The exhibition " For an active democracy - against right-wing extremism!" A collaboration Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Romania and the National Institute for the Study of the Holocaust in Romania "Elie Wiesel". more

Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung
Romania Office

Str. Emanoil Porumbaru 21
Apartment 3
RO-011421 Bucuresti Sector 1
Romania

0040 21 211 09 82
0040 21 210 71 91

office.romania(at)fes.de

Team and Contact

Publications

Ban, Cornel; Rusu, Alexandra

Pauperitatea fiscală României

Ce o explică şi ce se (mai) poate face
Bucharest, 2020

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Ban, Cornel; Rusu, Alexandra

Romania's weak fiscal state

What explains it and what can (still) be done about it
Bucharest, 2020

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Guga, Ştefan; Spatari, Marcel

Sectorul comerţ în România

Un bilanţ după trei decenii de transformări
Bucharest, 2019

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The future of employment in the car sector

Four country perspectives from Central and Eastern Europe
Prag, 2019

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Studiul despre tinerii din România 2018/2019

Bucharest, 2019

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Guga, Ştefan

Industria auto, încotro? Tendinţe globale, perspective periferice

Bucharest, 2019

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Ajder, Corina; Musiolek, Bettina; Stoiciu, Victoria

Country profile Romania

One day of a garment workers' stay at home husband
Bucharest, 2019

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Lungu, Laurian

Beyond the Maastricht criteria

Romania country study
Bucharest, 2018

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Educaţie pentru democraţie în şcolile din România

Bucharest, 2018

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Guga, Ştefan; Mihăilescu, Adina; Spatari, Marcel

Coşul minim de consum lunar pentru un trai decent pentru populaţia României

Bucharest, 2018

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