Mihai Tudose

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.

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.

The arrest of a traffic policeman suspected of sexually assaulting two children last weekend has shaken Romania's police force and added to tensions in the centre-left government.

The suspect was arrested on Monday after police circulated a still from a surveillance video of a man sexually assaulting two minors, a boy aged nine and a girl aged five, in an elevator last Friday.

Hundreds of Romanians went yesterday to a new protest in the capital Bucharest, Darik radio reported, citing AP.

Romanian activists braced on Friday for renewed anti-corruption protests, as authorities readied to mark the country's national day with military parades in several cities.

A censure motion against Romania's cabinet led by Mihai Tudose failed on Thursday as opposition lacked enough votes and the governing coalition did not vote, reports seenews.com. 

Romania's Social Democratic Party (PSD)-led government is set to adopt a controversial new Fiscal Code, despite widespread opposition from unions, the business community, and the public administration.

Romania's ruling Social Democrat-led coalition on Friday approved a cabinet reshuffle proposed by Prime Minister Mihai Tudose after days of tense negotiations.

Romania's ruling Social Democrat-led coalition faces its second government crisis in four months after Prime Minister Mihai Tudose announced that he plans to fire cabinet ministers being investigated for graft, instigating a small-scale Cabinet reshuffle. He told media that there has been recent friction between him and Social Democrat leader Liviu Dragnea.