STRATEGIC COORDINATION, INSTITUTIONAL FRAGMENTATION AND POLICY CHALLENGES IN GOVERNING ROMANIA’S NATIONAL SECURITY

Abstract

Romania’s national security governance operates within a complex institutional framework, where strategic coordination must balance national priorities and resource constraints with international commitments. The interaction between institutional mandates, jurisdictional boundaries, and decision-making processes influences governance effectiveness, yet persistent fragmentation affects policy coherence and strategic consistency. This paper examines how these dynamics impact decision-making within the Supreme Council of National Defence (CSAT), particularly in relation to the President’s strategic leadership and the Government’s executive role. Applying Neoclassical Realism to examine the interplay between external pressures and domestic political constraints, alongside New Institutionalism to account for the influence of both formal structures and informal practices on the national security apparatus within the Security Studies domain, this paper evaluates the extent to which national security governance fosters institutional effectiveness.
The findings suggest that Romania’s national security governance exhibits both cooperative fragmentation, where institutions collaborate while maintaining autonomy, and conflictive fragmentation, which stems from executive competition and jurisdictional overlaps. They contribute to broader academic discussions on institutional fragmentation, governance efficiency, and executive power dynamics within national security frameworks, particularly in post-communist and NATO-aligned states.