The Political Development Of Romania After World War I (1919-1921 AD)

Abstract

Between 1919 and 1921, Romania underwent significant political transformation following its territorial expansion after World War I. The unification with Transylvania, Bessarabia, and Bukovina created the foundation of Greater Romania, but also introduced complex challenges in governance, integration, and minority management. This period saw the consolidation of Romania’s new borders through international treaties, including the Treaty of Trianon and Treaty of Saint-Germain. Domestically, universal male suffrage was introduced, and the political landscape shifted with the rise of parties such as the National Liberal Party and the Peasants’ Party. The country faced mounting pressures to modernize, centralize administration, and implement agrarian reforms, all while navigating internal divisions and growing ethnic tensions. These years laid the groundwork for Romania’s interwar political trajectory and its struggle to unify a diverse and newly enlarged nation.