Minister Quits as Biggest Post-Communist Protests Rock Romania
- 300,000 people flood major cities demanding government resign
- Premier says cabinet won’t reverse controversial measures
Riot police stand guard as demonstrators gather in front of the government headquarters in Bucharest, on Feb. 1.
Photographer: Daniel Mihailescu/AFP via Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
The largest protests since the collapse of communism failed to persuade Romania’s government to reverse legislative changes that undermine a clampdown on corruption and have enraged the public.
While saying people have the right to protest, the ruling Social Democrats gave the one-month-old cabinet their full backing. The only public dissent from within the administration came from Business Environment Minister Florin Jianu, who resigned. At least 300,000 people took to the streets of cities across the country on Wednesday evening. About 150,000 gathered in freezing temperatures outside the government building in Bucharest.