Overview

Background

Romania was founded in 1918 after the end of World War I. Under pressure from the communists, King Michael abdicated in 1947 and then lived mostly in exile until his death in 2017. Soviet occupation following World War II led to the formation of a communist government. Nicolae Ceausescu, the communist leader who came to power in 1965, became increasingly draconian during the 1980s, and was finally swept from power and executed in a popular revolt in 1989. Since that...