Sociologist warns that farmer protest violence signals deeper social fractures in Romania

A protest by shepherds in Bucharest escalated into a violent confrontation after it was hijacked by agitators, a development that sociologist Gelu Duminică interprets as the result of a two-year buildup of social rupture. He links the unrest to cancelled elections, a pandemic-triggered divide, economic and political crises, and the failure of political parties—including PSD, AUR, PNL and USR—to provide unifying leadership.

Duminică criticises the president for not addressing the crisis and notes that the gendarmerie only managed to extinguish the immediate fire. He argues that without a coherent state response, tensions will continue to act as fuel for extremism. The sociologist calls for a restoration of public trust and warns that one outlet political deadlock hampers any effective solution. He also suggests that only a stable coalition, which he sees as unlikely, could restore social calm.