ROMANIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH AND EUROPEAN UNION INTEGRATION: A CONFLICT OF VALUES?
ROMANIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH AND EUROPEAN UNION INTEGRATION: A CONFLICT OF VALUES?

Summary/Abstract: In this essay, I analyze the relationship between the Romanian Orthodox Church, the Romanian Government and the European Union, as three structural actors involved in the process of transition to democracy. The anlaytical framework employed in this paper accentuates the role played by institutions in shaping values, and the potential conflicts ensuing from different institutional priorities. Although I limit myself to the case of Romania, the analysis has broader implications for other countries in Central and Eastern Europe undergoing democratic transition and consolidation. The essay constitutes a documented, although non exhaustive answer to the following question: "Is democratization in Romania hindered or encouraged by its main religious player, the Romanian Orthodox Church?"

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