Plenty of Horns, Little Traction (II): What Does Initiative Mean in Foreign Policy?

A foreign ministry can maintain a packed diplomatic calendar without producing a foreign policy with a clear profile. Visits, meetings, phone calls, joint statements and international summits show activity, but they do not by themselves show that a country has formulated an idea, persuaded others to follow it or turned it into a result identified with its name.

That distinction forms the central criticism of Romania’s foreign policy over the past year. The ministry has operated within normal parameters, and the minister has sought visibility, particularly in domestic politics. But those are signs of institutional activity and communication, not proof of a substantive shift. It is harder to identify a Romanian interpretation of a changing world, an initiative carrying Romania’s imprint or a project around which Romanian diplomacy has tried to build a coalition.

The author connects this gap to public expectations that Romania should count for more internationally. Such frustration can be expressed unclearly and sometimes exploited by populists, but it reflects a perception that Romanian foreign policy lacks sufficient ambition, objectives, initiatives and projects of its own.

The commentary does not challenge Romania’s main strategic choices. EU and NATO membership, the strategic partnership with the United States, support for Moldova and backing for Ukraine remain established positions. But a general orientation only says which side Romania is on. It does not say what the country wants to achieve, what it proposes or what contribution makes it relevant within that camp.

The frequently heard Foreign Ministry formula, “we do what the president says,” may be constitutionally correct and institutionally convenient, the author writes. Yet the ministry should also provide the president, government and other institutions with ideas, analysis, scenarios and proposals. That role is especially important while power relations are shifting rapidly, alliances are being revised and established hierarchies are under challenge.

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we do what the president says