Trend: Living Crisis. Topic: Education. Economic vulnerability can begin long before consumers face their first major financial pressures. In Romania, one in four people aged 25–34 had not completed upper-secondary education in 2025, more than twice the OECD average. Lower educational attainment is associated with weaker labour-market participation and lower earnings, making education increasingly important to future economic security. Why Everyone Is Talking About It: The Ed

Trend: Living Crisis. Topic: Financial Pressure. Financial pressure is making consumers more pragmatic about how they manage everyday life. In Romania, only 26% say they can pay their monthly bills and still have money left for savings and other expenses, while the share struggling to pay monthly bills has increased. As purchasing power declines, consumers are becoming more cautious about spending while trying to protect the parts of their lifestyle that still matter. Why Eve

Trend: Living Crisis. Topic: Second Jobs. Financial pressure is making consumers more pragmatic about how they increase their income. Instead of necessarily changing careers, more are looking for part-time work alongside their main job. In Romania, part-time applications reached 1.3 million in 2026, up 13% year on year, showing how additional work is becoming a practical route to greater financial security. Why Everyone Is Talking About It: One Job Is Increasingly Being Suppl