Nicolae Ceausescu used varying mechanisms of control over the twenty four years of his regime to stay in power.
Cult of PersonalityThis mechanism of control is defined as “promotion of the image of an authoritarian leader not merely as a political figure but as someone who embodies the spirit of the nation and possesses endowments of wisdom and strength far beyond those of average individual and is thus portrayed in a quasi-religious manner.”[6] Nicolae had pictures of himself plastered all of Romania in a act of self promotion. In later years his wife Elena also had pictures of herself all over Romania, however she was set out very strict guidelines of what pictures could be permitted to be used.