Social Democrat Party

Recent Romanian Supreme Court rulings that acquitted several high-ranking politicians in some of the country's most notorious graft cases risk damaging prosecutors' credibility - at a time when they are battling political moves to limit their independence, analysts warn.

Romania's Anti-Discrimination Council on Wednesday fined the country's centre-right President, Klaus Iohannis, for calling politicians investigated for corruption "criminals" in a speech defending anti-graft institutions and prosecutors.

"The term 'criminal' that the President used in his speech exceeds the limits of free speech," a press release issued by the council stated.

Romania's anti-discrimination council on Wednesday fined the popular satirical publication Times New Romanian for an article insulting Social Democrat leader Liviu Dragnea's partner who had accompanied the politician to a Social Democrat Party congress in March.

Prime Minister Viorica Dancila announced that the activity of each minister in her Cabinet will be assessed on a monthly basis, together with the leaders of the Social Democrat Party (PSD) - the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) coalition, Liviu Dragnea and Calin Popescu Tariceanu.

Restricting access to EU funds for rogue countries would break the bloc's own laws, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said Wednesday, cited by Politico.

Romania plunged into a major political crisis for the second time in seven months after the party leadership of the ruling Social Democrat Party voted Monday to withdraw their political support for Prime Minister Mihai Tudose.

Tudose said he will submit his resignation by no later than Tuesday morning and will not stay in office as interim prime minister.

Thousands of anti-corruption protesters took to the streets once more in Romania on Saturday to protest against the ruling Social Democrat Party's controversial justice policies, which have been criticised by civil society activists, international institutions and foreign diplomats alike.

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday agreed to appoint Social Democrat MEP Viorica Dancila as the country's first ever woman prime minister.

Dancila, 55, was nominated by the ruling Social Democrat Party on Tuesday to head Romania's third cabinet in the last year.

Romania's Social Democrats nominated on Tuesday MEP Viorica Dancila, known for her women's rights initiatives in the European Parliament, to replace Prime Minister Mihai Tudose who resigned on Monday after the ruling party withdrew its political backing.

Prime Minister Mihai Tudose has announced, on Friday evening, at the end of the meeting of the National Executive Committee (CExN) of the Social Democrat Party (PSD), that he has lost the support of the party and will resign as Prime Minister, Agerpres reported.

"I am leaving with my head held high", Tudose said.