New Books In Eastern European Studies

After decades of rule by the National Liberal Party or one of its centre-right, mainstream rivals – usually either the Conservative Party or the National Peasant Party, – in December 1937 King Carol II appointed the antisemitic National Christian Party (PNC), led by Octavian Goga and A. C. Cuza to form a government, effectively ending the democratic consensus and Francophile orientation in Romanian politics. During their 45 days in power, Goga and Cuza introduced sweeping changes to basic civil rights for a large number of Romanian citizens, in particularly for Jews. As tensions between the right-wing parties became increasingly violent, Carol abolished parliamentary democracy entirely, introducing a royal dictatorship. Carol further extended the limitations on civil liberties begun under Goga and Cuza, ruling through a series of cabinets and bringing the country into German sphere of influence. The royal dictatorship collapsed in September 1940, giving way to the National Legionary State, in which General Io