From the pulpit to political decisions: the refugee crisis, religion and the politics of exclusion in Romania

The intrusion of religion into politics in Romania is neither unique in the region, nor is it a new phenomenon. Recent developments in the country, however, point to its potential role in the country sliding further down the path of radical right populism. This paper examines the relationship between the Orthodox Church and the political system in Romania with a view to show the way in which this interplay shapes rhetoric and practice relating to human rights. It focuses primarily on the pervasiveness of racism and intolerance, in the context in which the political class is at best tacitly complicit with such practices. The specific area of investigation relates to the recent public debates in Romania and the government’s response to the refugee crisis developing in Europe. Secondly, the patterns emerging from this investigation will be discussed in the broader context of the visible shift towards radical right, authoritarian, illiberal tendencies visible across Central and Eastern Europe.