The “technocratic” government appointed in Romania in December 2015 has around a year to run before it is replaced following parliamentary elections in November 2016.Midway through its life, Valeriu Nicolae will give an insider’s view on the challenges the government has faced – and continues to face – in the social policy area and more widely, and how it has addressed them. The subsequent discussion will also look more broadly at the effectiveness of technocratic governments as a response to popular protest.