Democratic Calamity in Romania

A monster was growing in the shadows while we were all asleep. The very survival of Romania’s democracy and Euro-Atlantic pathway is now at stake.

No country is safe. War is not always waged with tanks and drones. Tik Tok videos and bots are equally useful. On fertile ground, democratic backsliding can happen in an instant.

Yesterday was another rough day for anyone who cares about democracy.

I am writing this newsletter from Romania, where the atmosphere ranges from shock to dismay and fear. An in…