Romania PSD Chief Hints at Scrapping Controversial Decree

The head of Romania's ruling Social Democratic Party, PSD, Liviu Dragnea, on Saturday said the cabinet might withdraw an emergency decree that decriminalizes graft-related offences.

The decree approved last Tuesday has triggered the biggest street protests Romania has seen in years, and has also drawn international condemnation as a major step backwards on reforms.

If enforced, it would decriminalize abuse-of-office offences involving sums below 200,000 lei [45,000 euros].

PSD chief Dragnea said he would meet with senior party figures to discuss the situation, as over 15,000 protesters marched towards the parliament in Bucharest.

"There may even be talks to withdraw it if the Prime Minister agrees," he told news website DCNews.

"I feel I can't keep everything under control from the centre ... [with] pressure from regional organizations to bring one million people onto the streets of Bucharest," he said, referring to reports that the ruling party could organize a massive counter-demonstration of its own.

Dragnea said he wished to convince Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu to withdraw the decree because he wants to avoid a clash between pro- and anti-government demonstrators.

"I have decided to meet coalition partners to suggest a solution to solve the crisis," he added.

Grindeanu has so far rejected requests to rescind the decree, despite resignations from the government and from PSD of high-ranking officials, including a minister, a state secretary and a member of the European Parliament. A vice-president of the party also said the decree should be withdrawn.

Dragnea chose Grideanu to head the cabinet because he could not become Prime Minister himself due to a two-year suspended jail sentence for rigging a...