When considering civic space protection in Romania, it is important to recognise the country’s history and journey as a relatively young democracy. In part due to its accession to the European Union (EU) in 2007, Romania has spearheaded significant democratic reforms over recent decades. Today, the civic freedoms that underpin vibrant civic space are afforded the highest legal protection and the country has introduced a series of reforms to improve citizen and stakeholder participation. However, democratic participation remains low, as does trust between citizens and the state, and there is little targeted outreach to underrepresented groups. OECD’s Government at a Glance 2021found that confidence in the Romanian government fell from 20% in 2007 to 16% in 2020. According to International IDEA, voter turnout is low in Romania, namely 31.8% in 2020 parliamentary elections and 51.2% in 2019 presidential elections. Romania’s ability to effect reform has been further inhibited by frequent changes in government in recent years.