Romania repeals corruption decree after demonstrations

Romania's government formally repealed contentious corruption legislation on Sunday following the biggest mass protests since the fall of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989, ministerial sources said.

However protestors kept up the pressure, with an estimated 500,000 protesters taking to the streets for the sixth day in a row in Romania's capital, Bucharest.

The decree, passed last Tuesday and due to enter into force on 10 February, was to make abuse of power a crime only punishable by jail if the sums involved exceeded 200,000 lei (€44,273).

The government also wants, in a separate decree to be reviewed by parliament next week, to free about 2,500 people from prison serving sentences of less than five years.

Grindeanu, from the left-wing Social Democrats (PSD), had said that the measures were to bring penal law into line with the constitution and reduce overcrowding in prisons. But critics said it was a brazenly transparent attempt by the PSD to let off many of its own officials and lawmakers ensnared in a major anti-corruption drive of recent years.

This push saw almost 2,000 people convicted for abuse of power between 2014 and 2016, and a serving prime minister, five ministers, 16 lawmakers and five senators go on trial.

Grindeanu’s climbdown on Saturday evening – he said he wanted to avoid dividing the nation – sparked cheers and celebrations that carried on late into the night.