This chapter analyzes the evolution of judicial independence and the connected rule of law crises in Romania. After 1989, the lack of comprehensive judicial reforms led to the privileging of old elites and networks. The prospect of EU accession increased the pressure on political actors to reform the judiciary and strengthen the fight against corruption. However, progress was slow, and the EU introduced a Cooperation and Verification Mechanism, which was continued after the accession and only terminated in 2023. The chapter emphasizes the persistence in politicizing the judiciary, although under different forms, despite large-scale institutional changes and post-accession conditionality. It also highlights the main political crises and the increasingly polarizing narratives surrounding such initiatives.