Romania opens violent extremism strategy to consultation and drafts school safety plan

Strategy released for comment

The Romanian government published its national strategy for preventing and countering violent extremism for public consultation on Thursday, 12 November 2026, on the website of the Ministry of Education. The draft entered the government's decision-making transparency process, which gives the public a window to comment before the text is adopted. Prime Minister Luca Niculescu announced the publication at a meeting of the government working group on preventing and combating violence in schools. He said the strategy concentrates on prevention and begins with strengthening the institutions that react and respond, including their grasp of the factors behind the phenomenon. According to the draft's accompanying text, its measures cover the period 2027-2030.

A school safety plan in preparation

Niculescu also confirmed that the government is finalising an integrated plan to raise safety in schools. The plan will set clear responsibilities for the institutions involved, along with preventive measures, rapid intervention mechanisms and firm sanctions for acts of violence. The announcement was made at the Palace of Victoria in Bucharest, where public institutions, non-governmental organisations, education unions, Parliament, parents, pupils and school representatives took part. Proposals raised in the consultations will feed into the plan so that its measures can be applied in schools. The prime minister also listed options under discussion, including securing school premises, a bigger role for social service specialists and local police to spot risks and respond quickly.

“It is not enough to intervene only when a serious incident has already happened.”

What the strategy sets out

The strategy aims to build a coherent and effective national prevention system based on interinstitutional cooperation and strategic coordination. It also targets stronger response capacity among public authorities with responsibilities in the field. The draft foresees training 4,000 school counsellors and school psychologists, alongside prevention campaigns for pupils and parents. Its explanatory note calls violent extremism one of the most complex and fast-moving threats to national security, democratic stability and social cohesion, one that crosses geographic and ideological borders. The document also says that religious, nationalist, ideological or cultural forms of extremism do not necessarily involve violence, yet they create conditions for polarisation, isolation and the legitimisation of radical actions.

“Violent extremism does not appear in isolation, but is the result of gradual processes of radicalisation.”

Early warning and the prime minister's message

Niculescu told the meeting that prevention depends on spotting risk situations early, before they turn into serious incidents. He said authorities must recognise the signs of radicalisation in time and step in before they lead to tragedy. Citing the recent unfortunate events, he argued that school violence cannot be treated as an isolated problem. On Monday, 9 November, the Palace of Victoria also hosted the closing conference of a project on strengthening the response to violence against children, run by the Ministry of Labour, Family, Youth and Social Solidarity with UNICEF and the European Commission. The prime minister thanked the minister and fellow ministers for quickly opening consultations with social partners.

“Every child must be able to go to school confident that they are safe.”