Romania’s Anti-Corruption Struggle After Kövesi
Romania’s anti-corruption landscape underwent dramatic upheaval following Laura Codruța Kövesi’s controversial dismissal from DNA in July 2018. What followed was a period of institutional crisis, political warfare, and gradual recovery that fundamentally reshaped the country’s fight against corruption. The period from 2018-2025 represents both the greatest threat to Romania’s anti-corruption institutions and their ultimate resilience under sustained pressure. The dismissal marked the beginning of a systematic campaign by the Social Democratic Party (PSD) government to weaken judicial independence, triggering the largest protests since 1989 and unprecedented EU intervention. While institutional damage was severe, the eventual reversal of harmful policies and formal end of EU special monitoring in 2022 demonstrated the strength of democratic checks and balances when supported by civil society mobilization and international pressure. The constitutional crisis that broke DNA’s momentum The circumstances surrounding Kövesi’s dismissal in July 2018 revealed the fragility of prosecutorial independence when faced with determined political interference. Justice Minister Tudorel Toader initiated proceedings in February 2018 with a devastating 20-category assessment accusing Kövesi of authoritarian behavior, illegal agreements with intelligence services, and Constitutional Court violations. Despite the Superior Council of Magistracy’s negative opinion rejecting the dismissal as unfounded, the Constitutional Court ultimately forced President Iohannis Read More …