From Disillusionment to Engagement: Youth and Politics in Romania with Razvan Petri and Vlad Adamescu

In the sixth episode of Season 2 of the Thank You Democracy Podcast, we sat down with Vlad Adamescu and Răzvan Petri from Politica la minut. This episode explores how they’ve built a powerful youth-oriented political platform in Romania, the challenges of political engagement among young people, the risks and rewards of social media, and how to defend democracy in an era of disinformation and polarization.Vlad Adamescu and Răzvan Petri are co-founders of the Centre for Democracy and Good Governance, a Romanian think-tank, and Politică la Minut, a platform that has been making politics more accessible since August 2020. Through their Instagram page, they share timely political news and updates from Romania, the Republic of Moldova, and the EU, presented in a way that resonates with younger audiences and sparks informed debate.Their initiative is committed to democratic values: the rule of law, civic engagement, integrity, good governance, and minority rights. They also firmly support Romania’s place in the European Union and other democratic institutions. In this episode, Vlad and Răzvan reflect on what inspired them to launch this platform, how Romania’s education system falls short on civic literacy, and why young people need more than just encouragement to vote, they need meaningful opportunities to shape the political landscape.To hear more about Vlad and Răzvan’s journey, perspective, and advice, tune in to this episode.