A “screening” of 60 areas, mostly outside the law and inhabited by various Roma ethnics, provides a first complete map of nomad camps in the Italian capital. This first snapshot reflects a more disquieting national-level situation, with hundreds of areas inhabited by over 130,000 Roma often becoming “off-limits” even for law enforcement agencies, with overcrowded shacks packed full with illegal... 

Until a while ago, we were used to a simple, dual eco­no­mic classification of coun­tries, inherited from the Cold War: developed countries and developing countries (originally “less developed,” but the phrase was pejorative so it was improved). Socialist countries in the Eastern bloc claimed to be developed, which, after category A (developed) led to a category B (special), and then the Latin-American... 

The local elections will entail multiple and far-reaching changes in the political life, triggered by the introduction of the uninominal voting for the chairmanship of county councils, by the new forms of access to resources and the very complex political situation. The shift in emphasis from the central to the local administration already took place in 2004, when leading representatives of PD, in... 

Where do political parties stand, and what chances does each of them have to win as many local administration seats? Our analysis indicates that the National Liberal Party (PNL) fares best, as it is the only party without internal disputes and clashes between local branches. The Democratic-Liberal Party (PD-L) is torn by many internal conflicts at a local level, which confirms what I predicted in... 

The decision of the North-Atlantic Council was one of the most special political pages in the history of NATO since the fall of the Berlin Wall. This is why Putin was keen on coming to Bucharest, although everything had been said and done. NATO has become a new institutional universe, different from the one that had emerged 59 years ago. When writing a letter to NATO, the address on the envelope must... 

Over the past three years, the National Liberal Party (PNL) has made a number of major political decisions that have changed its place in the political arena. The landmarks are its opposition to organising snap elections (2005) and taking the Democratic Party (PD) out of the government (2007). Today, PNL heads a minority government (jointly with UDMR), which is backed by most political forces... 

For a better understanding of the consequences, mention must be made of the special nature of these elections. In case the uninominal voting system is used (and chances are it will be, although we have hardly the best bill in this respect), these will be the last elections in which centralised party structures will have significant sway. The forthcoming elections: what’s at stake? With the... 

To be able to answer these questions, we must first define the framework of reference within which we operate: the 2004 electoral results, or the expectations before the ballot. Things are simple only as far as the President goes. The referendum was a full-fledged failure, and was followed by one of Traian Băsescu’s most embarrassing public appearances. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Traian... 

On the eve of Ceauşescu’s fall, a movie was screen, as stupid as all others were in the communist era, but whose title was ominous: “The Last Ball in November.” By all indications, the European Parliament election and the referendum were the last ball for Traian Băsescu. This electoral campaign showed us a (physically and politically) exhausted Presi­dent, making bad moves, footing the... 

Endless clashes between political players, notes, resignations, corruption and misuse of authority, media scandals. This is the 2007 image of Romania, as of recently labelled as “crime exporting country.” This is how foreigners see us, and it’s no wonder they do, since we don’t have a country brand. Ever since 2001 the country brand concept has been discussed in conferences, symposiums...