The great dictatorial and revanchist powers, Russia and China, are working hard to discredit the post-communist transition in Eastern Europe, which must be presented as a failure. Or, at any rate, as a colonialist project of the West. Heavy investment is being made in rewriting history, in propaganda that promotes “nostalgia” for a supposedly golden past, or in exaggerating the shortcomings of the new democracies. It is all part of a broader project to undermine the liberal international order with a view to returning to collectivist and authoritarian arrangements.
The Republic of Moldova and Romania, for which 2025 is an election year, are being systematically bombarded with such propaganda. It is intended to discredit the institutions built after 1990 and to mock the transition to democracy. There are several flagship narratives on which this propaganda effort is based.
Here you find the 4 episodes of our series which debunks the major themes of Russian-Chinese propaganda: The Great Pro-Putin Narrative (GPPN).
Read more on the topic in our booklet!
Discover our new booklet, The Post-Communist Transition for Dummies, which examines how Russia and China seek to discredit Eastern Europe’s democratic transformation after 1990. By reframing transition as failure and fueling “nostalgia propaganda,” these narratives aim to undermine institutions, sow distrust, and weaken the liberal order. The booklet explores how politics, the economy, NATO, and memory itself became contested ground—and why understanding this history is vital for today’s challenges.
Material produced by EFOR with the support of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and the European Media and Information Fund (EMIF).