The current series of România liberă began on 28 January 1943, during World War II, as an illegal newspaper of the Union of Patriots, a front organisation of the Communist Party.

In 1988, four journalists from România liberă, Petre Mihai Băcanu, Anton Uncu, Mihai Creanga, and Alexandru Chivoiu, attempted to publish a clandestine newspaper called Romania in which they criticized the Romanian leader Nicolae Ceaușescu and the censorship of the press, demanding press freedom and democracy.

Although Ceaușescu was killed in December 1989, the power in Romania was taken mostly by former members of the Communist Party, notably Ion Iliescu.

The newspaper promoted conservative values, democracy, and the argued that Romania should join NATO and the European Union.

At the time of purchase WAZ had promised to confine themselves to the business side of the newspaper and stay out of editorial matters.