Romania&#39;s government fell Wednesday after the ruling party took the unusual step of passing a no-confidence vote in its own prime minister following internal power struggles.

The left-wing Social Democrat party (PSD) filed the motion against premier Sorin Grindeanu barely six months after winning an election.

The PSD unexpectedly withdrew its support for Grindeanu on June 14, accusing him of &quot;delays&quot; in implementing reforms in the European Union&#39;s second-poorest country.

Grindeanu however refused to resign and denounced powerful PSD boss Liviu Dragnea for seeking to &quot;concentrate all the power in his hands&quot;.

The 54-year-old, who led his party to a thumping poll victory in December, is barred from running for office because of a voter fraud conviction.

Nonetheless he continued to pull the government strings behind the scenes once Grindeanu became premier in January.&nbsp;

At first Grindeanu complied but recently began asserting his independence, which reportedly led to the current crisis.

Wednesday&#39;s no-confidence motion passed with 241 to 10 votes.

The PSD and its small ally, the ALDE party, are now expected to propose a new premier to centre-right President Klaus Iohannis.

Once nominated, the incoming prime minister will then have 10 days to secure a vote of confidence in parliament for his cabinet and policy plans.

Ahead of the vote, Iohannis had urged the government to quickly resolve the crisis.

Romania&#39;s economy has been doing well, enjoying the fastest growth rate -- 5.6 percent -- in the EU in the first quarter, while efforts to tackle corruption have begun to bear fruit.

But the country of 20 million inhabitants can ill afford political instability, with the International Monetary Fund and the European Commission warning more reforms are sorely needed.

It is the second major crisis to hit the PSD since it rode back into power in December, barely a year after being forced from office over a deadly nightclub blaze.

In February, Romania&#39;s largest protests since the fall of communism forced the government to drop a bill aimed at watering down anti-corruption laws.

Analysts say Grindeanu&#39;s fall from grace could be linked to his perceived failure to push through the controversial legislation, which could have allowed Dragnea to run despite his conviction.

&quot;Liviu Dragnea only wants one thing -- amendments to the anti-corruption laws&quot; that currently prevent him from becoming premier, former PSD member Alin Teodorescu recently told AFP.

The PSD was forced out in the wake of angry protests in 2015 over a nightclub fire in Bucharest that killed 64 people and was widely attributed to corrupt officials turning a blind eye to fire regulations.

&nbsp;

The ruling Social Democrat party (PSD) filed a no-confidence?motion against premier Sorin Grindeanu just?six months after winning an election

Romania's government fell Wednesday after the ruling party took the unusual step of passing a no-confidence vote in its own prime minister following internal power struggles. The left-wing Social Democrat party (PSD) filed the motion against premier Sorin Grindeanu barely six months after winning an election. The PSD unexpectedly withdrew its support for Grindeanu on June 14, accusing him of "delays" in implementing reforms in the European Union's second-poorest country. Grindeanu however refused to resign and denounced powerful PSD boss Liviu Dragnea for seeking to "concentrate all the power in his hands". The 54-year-old, who led his party to a thumping poll victory in December, is barred from running for office because of a voter fraud conviction. Nonetheless he continued to pull the government strings behind the scenes once Grindeanu became premier in January. At first Grindeanu complied but recently began asserting his independence, which reportedly led to the current crisis. Wednesday's no-confidence motion passed with 241 to 10 votes. The PSD and its small ally, the ALDE party, are now expected to propose a new premier to centre-right President Klaus Iohannis. Once nominated, the incoming prime minister will then have 10 days to secure a vote of confidence in parliament for his cabinet and policy plans. Ahead of the vote, Iohannis had urged the government to quickly resolve the crisis. Romania's economy has been doing well, enjoying the fastest growth rate -- 5.6 percent -- in the EU in the first quarter, while efforts to tackle corruption have begun to bear fruit. But the country of 20 million inhabitants can ill afford political instability, with the International Monetary Fund and the European Commission warning more reforms are sorely needed. It is the second major crisis to hit the PSD since it rode back into power in December, barely a year after being forced from office over a deadly nightclub blaze. In February, Romania's largest protests since the fall of communism forced the government to drop a bill aimed at watering down anti-corruption laws. Analysts say Grindeanu's fall from grace could be linked to his perceived failure to push through the controversial legislation, which could have allowed Dragnea to run despite his conviction. "Liviu Dragnea only wants one thing -- amendments to the anti-corruption laws" that currently prevent him from becoming premier, former PSD member Alin Teodorescu recently told AFP. The PSD was forced out in the wake of angry protests in 2015 over a nightclub fire in Bucharest that killed 64 people and was widely attributed to corrupt officials turning a blind eye to fire regulations.

Romania ruling left sinks own government after power tussle

Thousands of protesters braved the cold to march in Romania&#39;s main cities, angered by government attempts to water down anti-corruption laws. In the capital Bucharest, where a major rally is planned for today, around 3,000 people gathered at the seat of government despite sub-zero temperatures.

&quot;We are resisting, we aren&#39;t going away&quot; yelled the protesters, who are calling for the left-leaning Social Democrat government, which only took power in December, to stand down.

Another 8,000 people took part in protests in the rest of the country, according to the national Agerpres news agency.These included 3,000 in Timisoara, in the west and around 2,500 at protests in towns of Cluj and Sibiu.

Yesterday&#39;s demonstrations, the twelfth consecutive day of protests against the government, took place despite the administration backing down over a planned controversial decree which would have made abuse of power a crime punishable by jail only if the sums involved exceeded 200,000 lei (44,000 euros, $47,500 US).

The demonstrations, the largest since the ousting and summary execution of communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989, have also continued despite the resignation on Thursday of justice minister Florin Iordache.

Romania joined the European Union in 2007 and Brussels has long taken Bucharest to task over slow progress dealing with corruption and organised crime.

The country has intensified the fight against corruption in recent years with the creation of a prosecutor attached to the DNA anti-corruption agency, which has become one of the most popular government agencies following the conviction of several ministers and senior officials.

Graft watchdog Transparency International ranked Romania below all but three of its fellow EU states in a January report based on public perception of the prevalence of corruption. Worldwide, the country ranked 57th.

A counter-demonstration in support of the government also took place in Bucharest yesterday, but mustered only a few hundred people in front of the presidential palace.

(AFP)&nbsp;

These are the largest demonstrations in the country since the ousting and summary execution of communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989

Thousands of protesters braved the cold to march in Romania's main cities, angered by government attempts to water down anti-corruption laws. In the capital Bucharest, where a major rally is planned for today, around 3,000 people gathered at the seat of government despite sub-zero temperatures. "We are resisting, we aren't going away" yelled the protesters, who are calling for the left-leaning Social Democrat government, which only took power in December, to stand down. Another 8,000 people took part in protests in the rest of the country, according to the national Agerpres news agency.These included 3,000 in Timisoara, in the west and around 2,500 at protests in towns of Cluj and Sibiu. Yesterday's demonstrations, the twelfth consecutive day of protests against the government, took place despite the administration backing down over a planned controversial decree which would have made abuse of power a crime punishable by jail only if the sums involved exceeded 200,000 lei (44,000 euros, $47,500 US). The demonstrations, the largest since the ousting and summary execution of communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989, have also continued despite the resignation on Thursday of justice minister Florin Iordache. Romania joined the European Union in 2007 and Brussels has long taken Bucharest to task over slow progress dealing with corruption and organised crime. The country has intensified the fight against corruption in recent years with the creation of a prosecutor attached to the DNA anti-corruption agency, which has become one of the most popular government agencies following the conviction of several ministers and senior officials. Graft watchdog Transparency International ranked Romania below all but three of its fellow EU states in a January report based on public perception of the prevalence of corruption. Worldwide, the country ranked 57th. A counter-demonstration in support of the government also took place in Bucharest yesterday, but mustered only a few hundred people in front of the presidential palace. (AFP)

Thousands of Romanians march against government

Romania&#39;s justice minister resigned on Thursday, becoming the first major political casualty of a government effort to roll back anti-corruption laws which backfired, sparking nationwide outrage.

The offending emergency decree issued last week was scrapped on Sunday in the face of the country&#39;s biggest protests since the end of communism in 1989. Those protests have continued, with many now calling for the entire left-wing government to quit.

The minister, Florin Iordache, defended the legislation, saying all his &quot;initiatives were legal and constitutional&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;But despite that, public opinion did not consider it sufficient, and that&#39;s why I have decided to submit my resignation,&quot; the 56-year-old told reporters.

Hundreds of thousands of Romanians have protested over the past week, culminating in half a million people in the streets on Sunday, according to media estimates.

Iordache is from the ruling Social Democrats (PSD), which won a thumping election victory only in December. His successor has not yet been named.

Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu&#39;s government easily survived a no-confidence motion on Wednesday thanks to its solid majority in parliament.

The proposed changes would have made abuse of power a crime punishable by jail only if the amount of money involved exceeded 200,000 lei (44,000 euros, $47,500).

On Thursday, a much smaller but fiery crowd of 2,500 still turned out to protest in central Bucharest, waving Romanian and European Union flags and holding placards reading &quot;We are fighting for principles and values&quot;.

Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu sought to reassure the public Thursday that the government would listen and take their concerns into account when considering future legal amendments.

&quot;This process will take time,&quot; he added.

However the government is separately aiming to change the law to release 2,500 people serving prison sentences for non-violent crimes of less than five years.

Grindeanu has said the aim was to bring penal law into line with the constitution and to reduce overcrowding in prisons.

But critics see the move as a brazen attempt to let off the many lawmakers who have been ensnared in a major anti-corruption drive in recent years.

The head of the country&#39;s anti-corruption force told AFP in an interview that the fight against graft was far from being won, despite the government&#39;s withdrawal of the decree.

The &quot;danger is not ruled out&quot; because such attempts to change laws are likely to happen again, said Laura Codruta Kovesi, chief prosecutor of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate.

European Commission Vice President Frans&nbsp;Timmermans said Wednesday that after the recent &quot;incredible progress&quot;, Bucharest should not start &quot;running in the other direction&quot;.

The US State Department also expressed its deep concern. Corruption has long been a major problem since Romania joined the European Union as its second-poorest member in 2007.

(AFP)

The country's justice minister announced resignation, becoming the first major political casualty in governmet;s bid to push for pro-graft

Romania's justice minister resigned on Thursday, becoming the first major political casualty of a government effort to roll back anti-corruption laws which backfired, sparking nationwide outrage. The offending emergency decree issued last week was scrapped on Sunday in the face of the country's biggest protests since the end of communism in 1989. Those protests have continued, with many now calling for the entire left-wing government to quit. The minister, Florin Iordache, defended the legislation, saying all his "initiatives were legal and constitutional". "But despite that, public opinion did not consider it sufficient, and that's why I have decided to submit my resignation," the 56-year-old told reporters. Hundreds of thousands of Romanians have protested over the past week, culminating in half a million people in the streets on Sunday, according to media estimates. Iordache is from the ruling Social Democrats (PSD), which won a thumping election victory only in December. His successor has not yet been named. Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu's government easily survived a no-confidence motion on Wednesday thanks to its solid majority in parliament. The proposed changes would have made abuse of power a crime punishable by jail only if the amount of money involved exceeded 200,000 lei (44,000 euros, $47,500). On Thursday, a much smaller but fiery crowd of 2,500 still turned out to protest in central Bucharest, waving Romanian and European Union flags and holding placards reading "We are fighting for principles and values". Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu sought to reassure the public Thursday that the government would listen and take their concerns into account when considering future legal amendments. "This process will take time," he added. However the government is separately aiming to change the law to release 2,500 people serving prison sentences for non-violent crimes of less than five years. Grindeanu has said the aim was to bring penal law into line with the constitution and to reduce overcrowding in prisons. But critics see the move as a brazen attempt to let off the many lawmakers who have been ensnared in a major anti-corruption drive in recent years. The head of the country's anti-corruption force told AFP in an interview that the fight against graft was far from being won, despite the government's withdrawal of the decree. The "danger is not ruled out" because such attempts to change laws are likely to happen again, said Laura Codruta Kovesi, chief prosecutor of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate. European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans said Wednesday that after the recent "incredible progress", Bucharest should not start "running in the other direction". The US State Department also expressed its deep concern. Corruption has long been a major problem since Romania joined the European Union as its second-poorest member in 2007. (AFP)

Romanian minister quits amid backlash against failed anti-corruption laws

Romania&#39;s Social Democrat-led government easily survived a no-confidence motion in parliament on Wednesday, three days after mass street protests forced it into an embarrassing U-turn over a graft decree.

Critics said the decree, which also drew rebukes from Romania&#39;s Western allies, would have turned back the clock on the fight against corruption in the ex-communist nation of 20 million people. The government rescinded the decree on Sunday.

&quot;I do hope that as of today we get back to work,&quot; Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu told lawmakers before the vote.

The Social Democrats and their allies control nearly two-thirds of the seats in parliament after winning a December election. They abstained in Wednesday&#39;s vote, when 161 lawmakers backed the no-confidence motion and eight voted against.

The government, however, has been badly shaken by the protests, the largest in Romania since the 1989 fall of communism, and opposition parties vowed after Wednesday&#39;s vote to continue their close scrutiny of the ruling party`s actions.

One minister resigned last week saying he could not support the decree and the Social Democrats have said they are considering the position of Justice Minister Florin Iordache, the architect of the decree.&nbsp;

Party sources have told Reuters he may resign on Wednesday and Grindeanu said on Wednesday a decision on Iordache would be announced on Thursday.

Opposition deputy Catalin Predoiu said of the no-confidence motion: &quot;This is a warning signal that we managed to gather the votes of the whole opposition and it also shows that whenever the new government derails we will gather and sanction it.&quot;

Powerful Emotions

Grindeanu said his government would not consider any further initiatives similar to the rescinded decree &quot;that could awake powerful emotions in society without proper and wide debate&quot;.

The decree would have decriminalised a number of graft offences and effectively shielded dozens of public officials from prosecution for graft.

Romania remains one of the poorest and most graft-prone member states of the European Union, which it joined in 2007.

Before the debate, around a dozen protesters wrote &#39;RESIST&#39;&nbsp;in the snow that had fallen overnight in front of the government headquarters. But the number of people attending daily protests - which reached a quarter of a million on Sunday - has fallen sharply since the government`s climbdown.

Parliament must still endorse the government&#39;s decision to rescind the graft decree and it is expected to hold a session towards the end of the week.

On Wednesday, the Constitutional Court rejected challenges on procedural grounds brought against the rescinded decree by Romania&#39;s president and by the top magistrates&#39; council.

The court said it would reconvene on Thursday to consider a separate challenge brought by Romania`s ombudsman against the content of the decree.

(Reuters)

Romania has been badly shaken by the anti-graft protests, the largest in Romania since the 1989 fall of communism

Romania's Social Democrat-led government easily survived a no-confidence motion in parliament on Wednesday, three days after mass street protests forced it into an embarrassing U-turn over a graft decree. Critics said the decree, which also drew rebukes from Romania's Western allies, would have turned back the clock on the fight against corruption in the ex-communist nation of 20 million people. The government rescinded the decree on Sunday. "I do hope that as of today we get back to work," Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu told lawmakers before the vote. The Social Democrats and their allies control nearly two-thirds of the seats in parliament after winning a December election. They abstained in Wednesday's vote, when 161 lawmakers backed the no-confidence motion and eight voted against. The government, however, has been badly shaken by the protests, the largest in Romania since the 1989 fall of communism, and opposition parties vowed after Wednesday's vote to continue their close scrutiny of the ruling party`s actions. One minister resigned last week saying he could not support the decree and the Social Democrats have said they are considering the position of Justice Minister Florin Iordache, the architect of the decree. Party sources have told Reuters he may resign on Wednesday and Grindeanu said on Wednesday a decision on Iordache would be announced on Thursday. Opposition deputy Catalin Predoiu said of the no-confidence motion: "This is a warning signal that we managed to gather the votes of the whole opposition and it also shows that whenever the new government derails we will gather and sanction it." Powerful Emotions Grindeanu said his government would not consider any further initiatives similar to the rescinded decree "that could awake powerful emotions in society without proper and wide debate". The decree would have decriminalised a number of graft offences and effectively shielded dozens of public officials from prosecution for graft. Romania remains one of the poorest and most graft-prone member states of the European Union, which it joined in 2007. Before the debate, around a dozen protesters wrote 'RESIST' in the snow that had fallen overnight in front of the government headquarters. But the number of people attending daily protests - which reached a quarter of a million on Sunday - has fallen sharply since the government`s climbdown. Parliament must still endorse the government's decision to rescind the graft decree and it is expected to hold a session towards the end of the week. On Wednesday, the Constitutional Court rejected challenges on procedural grounds brought against the rescinded decree by Romania's president and by the top magistrates' council. The court said it would reconvene on Thursday to consider a separate challenge brought by Romania`s ombudsman against the content of the decree. (Reuters)

Romanian govt survives no-confidence motion

Romania&#39;s ruling Social Democrats appealed for calm on Monday after withdrawing a decree widely condemned as reversing the country&#39;s anti-corruption drive, but protesters again took to the streets to demand the government&#39;s resignation.

On Sunday the government rescinded the decree, which would have shielded dozens of politicians from prosecution, following the largest demonstrations in Romania since the fall of communism in 1989.

Political analysts said the government &ndash; in power for barely a month &ndash; now faced an uphill task restoring shattered public confidence.

About 12,000 people gathered in front of government offices in central Bucharest on Monday evening - far fewer than the 250,000 seen the previous evening - to demand Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu&#39;s resignation and snap elections.

&quot;This government has offered us a perfect demonstration of what it can do during its first 30 days in office. Conclusion: they must leave,&quot; said one protester named Franciscus, 30, who works in the banking sector.

A rival demonstration of about 4,000 people gathered for a second day outside the office of President Klaus Iohannis, accusing him of instigating the week-long anti-government rallies.

Iohannis is a former leader of the centre-right opposition who briefly joined an anti-graft rally in late January and has since called a referendum over anti-corruption reforms. He was due to address parliament at 1000 GMT on Tuesday.

Social Democrat Party (PSD) leader Liviu Dragnea, the chief target of the protesters&rsquo; ire, sounded a defiant note earlier on Monday after chairing a meeting of senior party officials.

Tense state

&quot;The government has no reason to resign, it was legitimately elected,&quot; Dragnea told reporters. &quot;As long as this tense state continues in Romania no one has anything to gain.&quot;

He signalled that the government could still seek, with parliamentary involvement, changes to the criminal code, and might seek the advice of foreign experts.

&quot;All the PSD can do is to urge calm. Besides the protesters in the square, there are other Romanians also shouting that their vote must be protected,&quot; he said, in reference to the party&#39;s big win in a December election.&nbsp;

However, the scenes of Romanians thronging Bucharest&#39;s broad boulevards and other cities every evening since Jan. 31 have clearly shaken the PSD, and they will not have gone unnoticed elsewhere across Eastern Europe, blighted by corruption and cosy ties between business and politics since the end of communism.

Romania, a country of 20 million people which hosts a U.S. ballistic missile defence station and is one of Washington&#39;s staunchest allies with troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, remains among the poorest, most corrupt members of the European Union.&nbsp;

A Social Democrat-led government was felled by street protests only 15 months ago following a nightclub fire that killed 64 people. That incident triggered an outpouring of public anger amid accusations of state negligence and corruption in failing to enforce fire-safety regulations at the club.

&quot;They (Romania&#39;s leaders) are deeply scared by these huge protests, unprecedented in 27 years,&quot; independent political commentator Cristian Patrasconiu said of the latest rallies.

&quot;This amounts to more than a simple step back. Any new move by them needs assessment. Everything looks suspicious.&quot;

The corruption decree, issued late in the evening of Jan. 31 by the cabinet without parliamentary debate, had been designed to decriminalise a number of graft offences, cut prison terms for others and narrow the definition of conflict-of-interest.&nbsp;

The government said it was merely bringing the criminal code into line with recent rulings by the Constitutional Court and an EU legal directive and also wanted to ease jail overcrowding.

But the opposition, anti-corruption prosecutors, magistrates and hundreds of thousands of Romanian protesters said it had been tailor-made to amnesty dozens of politically-affiliated public officials convicted or accused of abuse of office in one of the most corrupt members of the EU.&nbsp;

The European Commission and the United States both condemned the government&#39;s move as backtracking on anti-graft reforms and the widely-acclaimed work of anti-corruption prosecutors.&nbsp;

The government&rsquo;s decision to withdraw the decree will require the approval of parliament, where the PSD and their junior partners enjoy a big majority.

On Wednesday, the government also faces a no-confidence vote filed by the opposition Liberals and Save Romania Union.

Protesters have again taken to the streets to demand the government's resignation, barely a month after they came to power

Romania's ruling Social Democrats appealed for calm on Monday after withdrawing a decree widely condemned as reversing the country's anti-corruption drive, but protesters again took to the streets to demand the government's resignation. On Sunday the government rescinded the decree, which would have shielded dozens of politicians from prosecution, following the largest demonstrations in Romania since the fall of communism in 1989. Political analysts said the government – in power for barely a month – now faced an uphill task restoring shattered public confidence. About 12,000 people gathered in front of government offices in central Bucharest on Monday evening - far fewer than the 250,000 seen the previous evening - to demand Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu's resignation and snap elections. "This government has offered us a perfect demonstration of what it can do during its first 30 days in office. Conclusion: they must leave," said one protester named Franciscus, 30, who works in the banking sector. A rival demonstration of about 4,000 people gathered for a second day outside the office of President Klaus Iohannis, accusing him of instigating the week-long anti-government rallies. Iohannis is a former leader of the centre-right opposition who briefly joined an anti-graft rally in late January and has since called a referendum over anti-corruption reforms. He was due to address parliament at 1000 GMT on Tuesday. Social Democrat Party (PSD) leader Liviu Dragnea, the chief target of the protesters’ ire, sounded a defiant note earlier on Monday after chairing a meeting of senior party officials. Tense state "The government has no reason to resign, it was legitimately elected," Dragnea told reporters. "As long as this tense state continues in Romania no one has anything to gain." He signalled that the government could still seek, with parliamentary involvement, changes to the criminal code, and might seek the advice of foreign experts. "All the PSD can do is to urge calm. Besides the protesters in the square, there are other Romanians also shouting that their vote must be protected," he said, in reference to the party's big win in a December election. However, the scenes of Romanians thronging Bucharest's broad boulevards and other cities every evening since Jan. 31 have clearly shaken the PSD, and they will not have gone unnoticed elsewhere across Eastern Europe, blighted by corruption and cosy ties between business and politics since the end of communism. Romania, a country of 20 million people which hosts a U.S. ballistic missile defence station and is one of Washington's staunchest allies with troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, remains among the poorest, most corrupt members of the European Union. A Social Democrat-led government was felled by street protests only 15 months ago following a nightclub fire that killed 64 people. That incident triggered an outpouring of public anger amid accusations of state negligence and corruption in failing to enforce fire-safety regulations at the club. "They (Romania's leaders) are deeply scared by these huge protests, unprecedented in 27 years," independent political commentator Cristian Patrasconiu said of the latest rallies. "This amounts to more than a simple step back. Any new move by them needs assessment. Everything looks suspicious." The corruption decree, issued late in the evening of Jan. 31 by the cabinet without parliamentary debate, had been designed to decriminalise a number of graft offences, cut prison terms for others and narrow the definition of conflict-of-interest. The government said it was merely bringing the criminal code into line with recent rulings by the Constitutional Court and an EU legal directive and also wanted to ease jail overcrowding. But the opposition, anti-corruption prosecutors, magistrates and hundreds of thousands of Romanian protesters said it had been tailor-made to amnesty dozens of politically-affiliated public officials convicted or accused of abuse of office in one of the most corrupt members of the EU. The European Commission and the United States both condemned the government's move as backtracking on anti-graft reforms and the widely-acclaimed work of anti-corruption prosecutors. The government’s decision to withdraw the decree will require the approval of parliament, where the PSD and their junior partners enjoy a big majority. On Wednesday, the government also faces a no-confidence vote filed by the opposition Liberals and Save Romania Union.

Romanian govt urges calm after graft decree climbdown as protests intensify

The bruised Romanian government has decided to repeal a legislation that was viewed by hundreds of thousands in the country as being soft on those ensnared in major corruption scandals.

Sorin Grindeanu, who came to power in December, announced the climbdown in a hastily-arranged press conference, sparking buoyant celebrations among the tens of thousands who attended the largest protests in the country since&nbsp;dictator Nicolae Ceausescu was toppled and executed in 1989.

The new government, of the left-wing Social Democrats (PSD), had intended to make abuse of power a crime only if the sum involved exceeded&nbsp;200,000 lei (44,000 euros, $47,500).

The legislation was due to become effective from February 10 -- a decree that was condemned by the critics because they said the government was attempting to free several PSD members who had been jailed on corruption charges in recent times.

The&nbsp;Grindeanu administration also wanted&nbsp;the parliament to review cases of some 2,500 graft convicts who have less than five years of jail sentence.

The new decree would have benefitted the head of Social Democrats,&nbsp;Liviu Dragnea. He was banned by law to become the prime minister of the country after the court found him guilty of vote-rigging in 2016. He was slapped with a two-year prison sentence for the violation.

The government&#39;s decision to go easy on the corrupt was also slammed by the US, who had said that new decree would &quot;undermine the rule of law&quot;.

But government, in its defence, had said that they were planning to put the legislation into force to avoid overcrowding of prisons and to bring penal law in line with the constitution.

Speaking to reporters,&nbsp;Grindeanu said his decision was &quot;not to divide Romania&quot;, with his comments coming in the backdrop of mass protests for the fifth consecutive night.

On Friday night there were between 200,000 and 250,000 people demonstrating around the country, and on Wednesday as many as 300,000 according to estimates by Romanian media.

On Saturday, Grindeanu said that the penal code still had to be fixed but that a bill would be sent to parliament &quot;as soon as possible&quot; and the proposed 200,000-lei limit would probably be scrapped.

The PSD has only just returned to power after handsomely winning elections on December 11 promising to boost salaries and pensions in a country where one in four people lives in poverty.

This was barely a year after public anger over a deadly nightclub blaze, blamed on corrupt officials turning a blind eye to fire regulations, drove the PSD-led government from office.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

The Sorin Grindeanu administration wanted to pardon people in power who accepted sums of money not exceeding $47,500

The bruised Romanian government has decided to repeal a legislation that was viewed by hundreds of thousands in the country as being soft on those ensnared in major corruption scandals. Sorin Grindeanu, who came to power in December, announced the climbdown in a hastily-arranged press conference, sparking buoyant celebrations among the tens of thousands who attended the largest protests in the country since dictator Nicolae Ceausescu was toppled and executed in 1989. The new government, of the left-wing Social Democrats (PSD), had intended to make abuse of power a crime only if the sum involved exceeded 200,000 lei (44,000 euros, $47,500). The legislation was due to become effective from February 10 -- a decree that was condemned by the critics because they said the government was attempting to free several PSD members who had been jailed on corruption charges in recent times. The Grindeanu administration also wanted the parliament to review cases of some 2,500 graft convicts who have less than five years of jail sentence. The new decree would have benefitted the head of Social Democrats, Liviu Dragnea. He was banned by law to become the prime minister of the country after the court found him guilty of vote-rigging in 2016. He was slapped with a two-year prison sentence for the violation. The government's decision to go easy on the corrupt was also slammed by the US, who had said that new decree would "undermine the rule of law". But government, in its defence, had said that they were planning to put the legislation into force to avoid overcrowding of prisons and to bring penal law in line with the constitution. Speaking to reporters, Grindeanu said his decision was "not to divide Romania", with his comments coming in the backdrop of mass protests for the fifth consecutive night. On Friday night there were between 200,000 and 250,000 people demonstrating around the country, and on Wednesday as many as 300,000 according to estimates by Romanian media. On Saturday, Grindeanu said that the penal code still had to be fixed but that a bill would be sent to parliament "as soon as possible" and the proposed 200,000-lei limit would probably be scrapped. The PSD has only just returned to power after handsomely winning elections on December 11 promising to boost salaries and pensions in a country where one in four people lives in poverty. This was barely a year after public anger over a deadly nightclub blaze, blamed on corrupt officials turning a blind eye to fire regulations, drove the PSD-led government from office. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Romania to repeal 'graft-friendly' decree after public fury

Hosts France enjoyed an uplifting start to Euro 2016 as Dimitri Payet&#39;s superb last-gasp strike bailed out Les Bleus in a 2-1 victory over a stubborn Romania side at the Stade de France on a peaceful night in the capital on Friday. 
 
Starting the month-long tournament amid strikes to protest against a labour law and terror fears seven months after Islamic attacks on Paris killed 130, the national team lightened the mood thanks to Payet&#39;s 20-metre drive into the top corner. 
 
Didier Deschamps&#39; team seemed to be heading for a gloomy draw but a moment of magic from talismanic West Ham United player Payet left the home fans celebrating a memorable win on a serene Paris evening to get the finals off to a fine start. 
 
There were no incidents reported in and around the stadium, where there was a heavy security presence, or at the fan zone, where some 90,000 people were expected to watch the Group A game on giant screens near the Eiffel tower. 
 
French president Francois Hollande, who last November was rushed away from the stadium with German Chancellor Angela Merkel after suicide bombers detonated devices near the arena, was seen shaking hands with fans on his way out on Friday. 
 
Security was tight at the Stade de France and fans had been urged to arrive early to have time to go through a double security perimeter with two successive security checks under the watchful eyes of armed police with bulletproof vests. 
 
There were only cheers inside the stadium, however, as Payet wrapped up the three points following Olivier Giroud&#39;s headed opening goal for the hosts just before the hour that was cancelled out by Bogdan Stancu&#39;s penalty eight minutes later. 
 
A kitsch opening ceremony, featuring about 100 can-can dancers, a techno cover of Edith Piaf&#39;s &#39;La Vie En Rose&#39; and aerobatics by the Patrouille de France jets, launched the event. 
 
France had not played a competitive game in two years and Romania, who had only conceded twice in the qualifying campaign, were a stern reminder that Les Bleus need to be on their toes if they are to win a first title since their Euro 2000 triumph. 
 
&quot;Had we won by two or three goals that might have misled us slightly whereas the fact we won late in the day, that shows there are going to be no easy matches,&quot; man-of-the-match Payet told reporters. 
 
France, who top the group ahead of Saturday&#39;s clash between Albania and Switzerland, got off to a nervous start, looking a pale shadow of the team who breezed past their recent opponents. 
 
Captain Hugo Lloris had to make a point-blank save early on and France failed to manage a shot on target in the first half. 
 
After 57 minutes Giroud silenced his critics when he headed home from Payet&#39;s cross after Romania keeper Ciprian Tatarusanu completely missed the ball as he jumped with the France striker. 
 
Eight minutes later, however, Stancu coolly converted a penalty after Patrice Evra&#39;s clumsy foul on Nicolae Stanciu. 
 
However, the impressive Payet, who had been behind almost every France opportunity, was on hand to save the day. 
 
Collecting the ball from N&#39;Golo Kante, Payet cut inside and struck a vicious drive into the top corner, sending the crowd into raptures. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s quite easy in football when you can bang it into the top corner. It solves quite a lot of problems,&quot; said Deschamps. 
 
&quot;The opening match of a competition is bit like playing in a cup final so we were maybe just a little bit timid in the opening 25 minutes... we put four attacking players on the pitch to try to grind out the victory.&quot; 
 
France next take on Albania in Marseille on Wednesday after Romania play Switzerland in Paris. 
 
On Saturday England take on Russia in Group B amid fears of trouble between their fans in Marseille, where there was a stand-off between supporters on Friday, 18 years after England followers caused chaos in the Port city at the World Cup.

The hosts downed a stubborn Romanian side 2-1

Hosts France enjoyed an uplifting start to Euro 2016 as Dimitri Payet's superb last-gasp strike bailed out Les Bleus in a 2-1 victory over a stubborn Romania side at the Stade de France on a peaceful night in the capital on Friday. Starting the month-long tournament amid strikes to protest against a labour law and terror fears seven months after Islamic attacks on Paris killed 130, the national team lightened the mood thanks to Payet's 20-metre drive into the top corner. Didier Deschamps' team seemed to be heading for a gloomy draw but a moment of magic from talismanic West Ham United player Payet left the home fans celebrating a memorable win on a serene Paris evening to get the finals off to a fine start. There were no incidents reported in and around the stadium, where there was a heavy security presence, or at the fan zone, where some 90,000 people were expected to watch the Group A game on giant screens near the Eiffel tower. French president Francois Hollande, who last November was rushed away from the stadium with German Chancellor Angela Merkel after suicide bombers detonated devices near the arena, was seen shaking hands with fans on his way out on Friday. Security was tight at the Stade de France and fans had been urged to arrive early to have time to go through a double security perimeter with two successive security checks under the watchful eyes of armed police with bulletproof vests. There were only cheers inside the stadium, however, as Payet wrapped up the three points following Olivier Giroud's headed opening goal for the hosts just before the hour that was cancelled out by Bogdan Stancu's penalty eight minutes later. A kitsch opening ceremony, featuring about 100 can-can dancers, a techno cover of Edith Piaf's 'La Vie En Rose' and aerobatics by the Patrouille de France jets, launched the event. France had not played a competitive game in two years and Romania, who had only conceded twice in the qualifying campaign, were a stern reminder that Les Bleus need to be on their toes if they are to win a first title since their Euro 2000 triumph. "Had we won by two or three goals that might have misled us slightly whereas the fact we won late in the day, that shows there are going to be no easy matches," man-of-the-match Payet told reporters. France, who top the group ahead of Saturday's clash between Albania and Switzerland, got off to a nervous start, looking a pale shadow of the team who breezed past their recent opponents. Captain Hugo Lloris had to make a point-blank save early on and France failed to manage a shot on target in the first half. After 57 minutes Giroud silenced his critics when he headed home from Payet's cross after Romania keeper Ciprian Tatarusanu completely missed the ball as he jumped with the France striker. Eight minutes later, however, Stancu coolly converted a penalty after Patrice Evra's clumsy foul on Nicolae Stanciu. However, the impressive Payet, who had been behind almost every France opportunity, was on hand to save the day. Collecting the ball from N'Golo Kante, Payet cut inside and struck a vicious drive into the top corner, sending the crowd into raptures. "It's quite easy in football when you can bang it into the top corner. It solves quite a lot of problems," said Deschamps. "The opening match of a competition is bit like playing in a cup final so we were maybe just a little bit timid in the opening 25 minutes... we put four attacking players on the pitch to try to grind out the victory." France next take on Albania in Marseille on Wednesday after Romania play Switzerland in Paris. On Saturday England take on Russia in Group B amid fears of trouble between their fans in Marseille, where there was a stand-off between supporters on Friday, 18 years after England followers caused chaos in the Port city at the World Cup.

France start Euro 2016 party with win over Romania

Albania&#39;s first win at Euro 2016 against Romania on Sunday was the ultimate display of coach Gianni De Biasi&#39;s one-for-all and all-for-one mentality. 
 
The small Balkan nation&#39;s 1-0 victory, which gave them their first three points, meant they still have a chance to reach the knockout phase as the third-placed team behind France and Switzerland. 
 
The encounter was never going to be a goal fest, both teams having qualified thanks to their tight defences. 
 
In his four years as coach, Italian De Biasi has tried various players to find the perfect combination and it seems he found it on Sunday. 
 
He left captain Lorik Cana on the bench despite his comeback from suspension following a red card in their opener. The Italian also brought in Migjen Basha for a packed five-man midfield. 
 
A hard-working 4-5-1 formation soaked up early Romanian pressure before gradually wrenching control as their opponents quickly ran out of ideas. 
 
The outstanding Ledian Memushaj was crucial in keeping the Romanian defence occupied while Armando Sadiku&#39;s header just before halftime was all the motivation the Albanians needed as the door for a last-16 spot cracked open. 
 
Desperately fighting off a late Romanian charge, De Biasi&#39;s players showed the determination that helped them qualify for their first tournament with man-of-the-match centre back Arlind Ajeti leading their defence. 
 
They were left with cramps but aware it was their team work that carried them to their first victory. Albania finally finds itself out of football obscurity with this first win against Romania in 68 years. 
 
It could not be more different for Romania coach Angel Iordanescu, whose 100th game on their bench as coach or assistant coach marked a quick end to their Euro hopes with yet another performance lacking guile and creativity. 
 
They may have scored less than Romania during the tournament, but their focus on defence proved decisive on Sunday as Iordanescu&#39;s men could not find the equaliser that would have given a slim chance to progress. 
 
(Reuters)

This was the side's first win at Euro 2016

Albania's first win at Euro 2016 against Romania on Sunday was the ultimate display of coach Gianni De Biasi's one-for-all and all-for-one mentality. The small Balkan nation's 1-0 victory, which gave them their first three points, meant they still have a chance to reach the knockout phase as the third-placed team behind France and Switzerland. The encounter was never going to be a goal fest, both teams having qualified thanks to their tight defences. In his four years as coach, Italian De Biasi has tried various players to find the perfect combination and it seems he found it on Sunday. He left captain Lorik Cana on the bench despite his comeback from suspension following a red card in their opener. The Italian also brought in Migjen Basha for a packed five-man midfield. A hard-working 4-5-1 formation soaked up early Romanian pressure before gradually wrenching control as their opponents quickly ran out of ideas. The outstanding Ledian Memushaj was crucial in keeping the Romanian defence occupied while Armando Sadiku's header just before halftime was all the motivation the Albanians needed as the door for a last-16 spot cracked open. Desperately fighting off a late Romanian charge, De Biasi's players showed the determination that helped them qualify for their first tournament with man-of-the-match centre back Arlind Ajeti leading their defence. They were left with cramps but aware it was their team work that carried them to their first victory. Albania finally finds itself out of football obscurity with this first win against Romania in 68 years. It could not be more different for Romania coach Angel Iordanescu, whose 100th game on their bench as coach or assistant coach marked a quick end to their Euro hopes with yet another performance lacking guile and creativity. They may have scored less than Romania during the tournament, but their focus on defence proved decisive on Sunday as Iordanescu's men could not find the equaliser that would have given a slim chance to progress. (Reuters)

De Biasi's Albania earn victory for the collective

Romania face mounting injury problems ahead of their decisive Euro 2016 tie with Albania following a bruising 1-1 draw with Switzerland on Wednesday. The result means Anghel Iordanescu&rsquo;s men can still qualify for the last 16 from Group A, provided they can win against tournament debutants Albania on Sunday. 
 
However, Romania&rsquo;s prospects appear grim after central midfielder Mihai Pintilii and talismanic left back Razvan Rat hobbled off with injuries at Parc des Princes on Wednesday night. 
 
&ldquo;Pintilii has some physical problems. I don&rsquo;t know if he will be ready for the next game,&rdquo; Romania coach Anghel Iordanescu told a news conference. &ldquo;Rat asked to be substituted. It&rsquo;s difficult to say whether he will play.&rdquo; 
 
Iordanescu, in his third stint in charge of the national team, said Rat&rsquo;s second-half replacement Steliano Filip was also hurt, while goal scorer Bogdan Stancu was suffering from muscle pains. 
 
Romania began well against Switzerland, taking the lead through Stancu&rsquo;s 18th-minute penalty, but they tired after half-time as the Swiss equalised via Admir Mehmedi&rsquo;s fierce 57th-minute half-volley. The Swiss continued to push for a winner that would have guaranteed Vladimir Petkovic&rsquo;s men a place in the knockout rounds, but it was not to be. 
 
&ldquo;We went through two completely opposite halves. First half we controlled the ball, linked play and &hellip; created some other chances,&rdquo; added Iordanescu. &ldquo;We suffered a lot during the second half and were facing huge pressure from Switzerland.&rdquo; 
 
Switzerland again lacked ruthlessness in front of goal, converting only one of their 19 attempts, of which six were on target. 
 
Striker Haris Seferovic, who has struggled at Eintracht Frankfurt this season, wasted two simple chances in the first half. The effort from the rest of the team also seemed patchy.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;I can&rsquo;t say we&rsquo;re very happy with the result,&rdquo; said man-of-the-match Granit Xhaka. &ldquo;It was one of the best performances our national team has shown, we have created so many chances but unfortunately we couldn&rsquo;t win because we didn&rsquo;t finish.&rdquo; 
 
A point against France in their final group match would lift Switzerland to five points, guaranteeing a top-two finish. 
(Reuters)

Central midfielder Mihai Pintilii and left back Razvan Rat had to hobble off the field

Romania face mounting injury problems ahead of their decisive Euro 2016 tie with Albania following a bruising 1-1 draw with Switzerland on Wednesday. The result means Anghel Iordanescu’s men can still qualify for the last 16 from Group A, provided they can win against tournament debutants Albania on Sunday. However, Romania’s prospects appear grim after central midfielder Mihai Pintilii and talismanic left back Razvan Rat hobbled off with injuries at Parc des Princes on Wednesday night. “Pintilii has some physical problems. I don’t know if he will be ready for the next game,” Romania coach Anghel Iordanescu told a news conference. “Rat asked to be substituted. It’s difficult to say whether he will play.” Iordanescu, in his third stint in charge of the national team, said Rat’s second-half replacement Steliano Filip was also hurt, while goal scorer Bogdan Stancu was suffering from muscle pains. Romania began well against Switzerland, taking the lead through Stancu’s 18th-minute penalty, but they tired after half-time as the Swiss equalised via Admir Mehmedi’s fierce 57th-minute half-volley. The Swiss continued to push for a winner that would have guaranteed Vladimir Petkovic’s men a place in the knockout rounds, but it was not to be. “We went through two completely opposite halves. First half we controlled the ball, linked play and … created some other chances,” added Iordanescu. “We suffered a lot during the second half and were facing huge pressure from Switzerland.” Switzerland again lacked ruthlessness in front of goal, converting only one of their 19 attempts, of which six were on target. Striker Haris Seferovic, who has struggled at Eintracht Frankfurt this season, wasted two simple chances in the first half. The effort from the rest of the team also seemed patchy. “I can’t say we’re very happy with the result,” said man-of-the-match Granit Xhaka. “It was one of the best performances our national team has shown, we have created so many chances but unfortunately we couldn’t win because we didn’t finish.” A point against France in their final group match would lift Switzerland to five points, guaranteeing a top-two finish. (Reuters)

Romania face injury woes after draw with Switzerland

Romanian legend Radu Beligan, who held the Guinness record as the world&#39;s oldest theatre actor, has died at age 97 in a hospital in the capital Bucharest, medical staff said. 
 
After a prolific career spanning more than 70 years, the star passed away in his sleep today, said the director of the Elias hospital, Dana Safta. 
 
Beligan last performed in April at the National Theatre in Bucharest, where he had played a lead role in Jean Anouilh&rsquo;s &#39;Number Number&#39; to sellout audiences since 2004. 
 
Born on December 18, 1918, Beligan made his debut in 1937 in Bucharest in a stage version of &#39;Crime and Punishment&#39;, a classic Russian novel written by Fyodor Dostoevsky. 
 
He went on to star in some 100 plays and films and became a well-known TV and radio personality.&nbsp;But he was also criticised in artists&#39; circles for his membership of the Central Committee of the Romanian Communist Party between 1969 and 1989. 
 
After the fall of communism, he was forced to step down as director of the National Theatre in 1990 after protests from his peers.&nbsp;In December 2013, the Guinness World Records awarded Beligan the title of &quot;oldest active theatre professional&quot;. 
 
The vote raised some eyebrows in Russia, where actor Vladimir Zeldin celebrated his 101st birthday earlier this year on stage in Moscow. 
 
(AFP)

After a prolific career spanning more than 70 years, the star passed away in his sleep today

Romanian legend Radu Beligan, who held the Guinness record as the world's oldest theatre actor, has died at age 97 in a hospital in the capital Bucharest, medical staff said. After a prolific career spanning more than 70 years, the star passed away in his sleep today, said the director of the Elias hospital, Dana Safta. Beligan last performed in April at the National Theatre in Bucharest, where he had played a lead role in Jean Anouilh’s 'Number Number' to sellout audiences since 2004. Born on December 18, 1918, Beligan made his debut in 1937 in Bucharest in a stage version of 'Crime and Punishment', a classic Russian novel written by Fyodor Dostoevsky. He went on to star in some 100 plays and films and became a well-known TV and radio personality. But he was also criticised in artists' circles for his membership of the Central Committee of the Romanian Communist Party between 1969 and 1989. After the fall of communism, he was forced to step down as director of the National Theatre in 1990 after protests from his peers. In December 2013, the Guinness World Records awarded Beligan the title of "oldest active theatre professional". The vote raised some eyebrows in Russia, where actor Vladimir Zeldin celebrated his 101st birthday earlier this year on stage in Moscow. (AFP)

World's oldest theatre actor dies at age 97

Inhabitants of a village in southern Romania kidnapped dozens of vulnerable young men and boys and pushed them into modern-day slavery, chaining, abusing and humiliating them, authorities said. 
 
Police carried out a large-scale raid on Berevoiesti, 170 kilometres (105 miles) north of Bucharest, on Wednesday and freed five people including two minors. They are investigating around 90 suspects. 
 
The captives were &quot;attached with chains and straps... beaten (and) humiliated&quot;, starved of food and fed on scraps, prosecutors from the Direc?ia de Investigare a Infrac?iunilor de Criminalitate Organizata ?i Terorism (DIICOT) organised crime investigation unit said. 
 
Around 40 victims were &quot;captured in public places, near churches or train stations, or at their homes&quot; since 2008 and forced to do household chores, look after animals and do illegal logging, prosecutors said. 
 
(AFP)

Five people were freed including two minors. The captives were 'attached with chains and straps... beaten (and) humiliated', starved of food

Inhabitants of a village in southern Romania kidnapped dozens of vulnerable young men and boys and pushed them into modern-day slavery, chaining, abusing and humiliating them, authorities said. Police carried out a large-scale raid on Berevoiesti, 170 kilometres (105 miles) north of Bucharest, on Wednesday and freed five people including two minors. They are investigating around 90 suspects. The captives were "attached with chains and straps... beaten (and) humiliated", starved of food and fed on scraps, prosecutors from the Direc?ia de Investigare a Infrac?iunilor de Criminalitate Organizata ?i Terorism (DIICOT) organised crime investigation unit said. Around 40 victims were "captured in public places, near churches or train stations, or at their homes" since 2008 and forced to do household chores, look after animals and do illegal logging, prosecutors said. (AFP)

Romanian police raid village of slaves

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