Many people are tired after so many big crises and after the effects of these crises on their lives. Inflation and income erosion are the last link in a chain of attacks that have enormously affected the most dynamic and active Romanians, and the danger of looking for extremist or populist solutions is still far too great to ignore. Our society is still one in which trust is very low, corruption is still too high, and solidarity is almost absent. Even in the conditions where the last 10 years have brought regional affirmation, an increase in investments, and an unprecedented connection with the West,.

The aspiration of a party, in these times, must be a national one, broad in scope, which can represent all those who want a free and prosperous future, in a society with a national and western identity. Without such an approach, a party is, in fact, only a club, or an interest group, or a small team with a small vision… I take advantage of this symbolic moment to remind those who want to promote liberal principles that their mission is to return to their basic values. Governance or politics for the sake of positions or numbers is always a curse for a party, even for a historical one. And one of the missions of liberalism will always remain the representation of the middle class. And the representation of the ideal of the middle class.

One of the major mistakes that is frequently made is to put the defense of the middle class in opposition to other social categories. The socialist instinct to stimulate class thinking, to protect only some and to sanction those who want more, is not good. I wonder, as Thatcher or Reagan did, if middle class values ​​are not the natural instinct of all working people. Don’t the young people who have a job also want freedom and a chance for prosperity, as they see the luckiest people around them? Of course I want to. No man grows up dreaming of becoming a social worker, of staying on the sidelines and being helped with a minimum income.

Most aspire to a decent job that offers them satisfaction and chances of prosperity. And the majority strongly reject the assistance policies by which the budgets are wasted too much. And, precisely because this is an instinct of everyone, we should ask ourselves how those who want more, but cannot, feel. Does it mean that they have nothing to do with the middle class dream? No, they are just victims of a society where success is not encouraged, and freedom and property are not protected. Those who turn to the state for unemployment help become dependent on it only when the government pushes them towards statist solutions instead of encouraging them to be independent

A developed liberal society is one in which the social classes are not instigated against each other (as the extremists, the populists, and the socialists also want). But it is one in which we have solidarity between generations, between people with different incomes and people with different identities. And one in which the state and its institutions serve – discreetly and efficiently – the free citizens who want prosperity.

Against this background, I tend to believe that the future of Romanian liberalism can be a strong and essential one if you take into account these values. There is a new reality, which must be accepted. Romania is at the end of its transition, and today it is preparing to build a future as a developed country. The liberalism celebrated these days is represented by the party with the best chance of understanding what this future looks like because it is formed and voted for by people who want development, well-being, and prosperity. However, in order to remain relevant, today’s PNL, and especially tomorrow’s, must change its speed and increase its pace. It is not enough to follow past successes or partners who represent other values.

It is not enough to be inspired by apparently similar parties that do not really represent progress, democracy, or Romania’s interests. And it is not enough to always wait for solutions from outside, from various forms of relief in this beautiful country. We were talking about the future, and we were talking about change. Personally, I am optimistic. Because the last few years have brought to the liberal family some new names of high quality and people much better prepared than what was seen recently—young people with common sense, education, democratic spirit, and love of country. Post-transition Romania will win if it promotes this new generation and if it avoids the errors of the past. This message, as I said before, is not about me or my future. It is about the chances for a political movement and a political philosophy to believe in the new generation and the change it can produce.

Happy birthday to all those who think and live in a liberal spirit.

By Eduard Hellvig

Source: https://hellvig.com/149-de-ani-de-liberalism-in-romania