THE 1938 CONSTITUTION ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE-TERRITORIAL ORGANIZATION OF ROMANIA

This study analyzes the 1938 Constitution of Romania, focusing on its impact on the administrative-territorial organization.Promulgated during King Carol II's authoritarian regime, the Constitution marked a shift from parliamentary monarchy to royal dictatorship.Emphasizing executive dominance, the Constitution redefined administrative units, introduced ten regions (inuturi), and diminished local autonomy by replacing elected councils with appointed officials.The Royal Resident became the central figure of regional governance, assuming extensive supervisory and executive powers.This legal framework institutionalized centralized control, aligning with European authoritarian trends of the time.While designed to professionalize and depoliticize public administration, the law ultimately fostered bureaucratic control, weakened democratic institutions, and proved incompatible with Romania's socio-political realities on the eve of World War II.