Romania remained politically tied to the Soviet Union until the 1960s, when Nicolae Ceausescu came to power in 1967. Of humble origin, Ceausescu sought to reduce Soviet dominance over the country's direction by adopting an independent policy regarding international relations. His autonomous stance attracted sympathy from Western countries that avoided criticizing the country's government. American President Richard Nixon even visited Romania in 1969, deeply irritating the Soviet Union. As part of this policy, Ceausescu ignored the socialist countries' boycott of the 1984 Olympics held in Los Angeles (USA) and made Romania the first Eastern European country to have relations with the European Community.

Ceausescu managed Soviet animosity toward his policy through bribery and blackmail. However, internally, Romania was an authentic dictatorship. Despite flirting with liberal Western countries, Ceausescu's regime greatly restricted individual freedoms through censorship and media control. Ceausescu's personal dictatorship also relied on an extensive espionage network. His government followed the example of other socialist regimes by encouraging a cult of personality, with Ceausescu arrogating the title of "Conducator," meaning leader in Romanian, to himself.