2015 Romanian protests

On 3 November 2015, large cordons of gendarmes prevented demonstrators from advancing toward the governmental building.{{cite web |url=http://www.mediafax.ro/social/tragedia-din-clubul-colectiv-peste-10-000-de-manifestanti-in-piata-victoriei-ei-striga-demisia-live-text-foto-14872541 |title=TRAGEDIA din clubul Colectiv: Peste 10.000 de manifestanţi în Piaţa Victoriei. Ei strigă: "Demisia!" |work=Mediafax |date=3 November 2015}} From Victory Square, protesters marched to the Interior Ministry, where they knelt and held a moment of silence.{{cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-11-03/thousands-protest-against-romanian-premier-after-32-die-in-fire |title=Thousands Protest Against Romanian Premier After 32 Die in Fire |work=Bloomberg |author=Andra Timu, Irina Vilcu |date=3 November 2015}} The protesters chanted "shame on you" and "assassins", and carried banners reading "corruption kills". By 10 p.m. local time, between 28,000 and 30,000 people{{cite web |url=http://www.realitatea.net/protest-in-capitala-dupa-tragedia-colectiv-32-000-de-oameni-au-iesit-in-strada-demisia-live_1822557.html |title=Protest în Capitală, după tragedia COLECTIV.32.000 de oameni cer DEMISIA lui Ponta, Oprea şi Piedone |work=Realitatea.net |date=3 November 2015}} (some estimates had more than 35,000) reached Constitution Square, with some protesters scaling the fences surrounding the Palace of the Parliament. Protests were also held in Brașov, Ploiești, and Iași. President Klaus Iohannis welcomed the street demonstrations, and cautioned that such events cannot be ignored by the political class.{{cite web |url=http://stirileprotv.ro/stiri/actualitate/peste-2000-de-oameni-sunt-in-strada-la-piata-universitatii-oamenii-cer-dreptate-pentru-victimele-din-colectiv.html |title=CORUPTIA UCIDE: "Nu aveti coloana, decat oficiala". 25.000 de oameni sunt in strada. Mesajul lui Klaus Iohannis |work=Stirile Pro TV |date=3 November 2015}}

Protesters also criticized the Romanian Orthodox Church and its leader, Patriarch Daniel, for their apparent lack of reaction in the aftermath of the club fire. Thousands of demonstrators marched on Dealul Mitropoliei in central Bucharest, where the seat of the Church is located.{{cite web | url=http://www.romaniatv.net/live/mii-de-persoane-la-un-protest-in-capitala-manifestantii-au-blocat-piata-universitatii_254750.html | title=Tragedia din Colectiv. Peste 25.000 de persoane, în stradă. Au cerut demisia lui Piedone, Oprea şi Ponta| date=3 November 2015| access-date=4 November 2015|trans-title=The collective tragedy. More than 25,000 people in the street. They demanded the resignation of Piedone, Oprea, and Ponta|language=Romanian}}

{{wikinews|Romanian Prime Minister resigns after nightclub fire}}

On the morning of 4 November, the Ponta government resigned,{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-romania-government-ponta-idUSKCN0ST0XR20151104 |title=Romanian PM Ponta quits after protests, paves way for cabinet reshuffle |work=Reuters |author=Radu-Sorin Marinas, Luiza Ilie |date=4 November 2015}}{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/04/romanian-government-resigns-nightclub-fire-victor-ponta |title=Bucharest nightclub fire: Romania's PM and government resign after protests |work=The Guardian |author=Mark Tran |date=4 November 2015}}{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/victor-ponta-resigns-live-romanian-prime-minister-quits-day-after-mass-protests-over-nightclub-fire-a6720486.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/victor-ponta-resigns-live-romanian-prime-minister-quits-day-after-mass-protests-over-nightclub-fire-a6720486.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta resigns the day after mass protests over nightclub fire |work=The Independent |author=Alexandra Sims |date=4 November 2015}}{{cbignore}} but with Ponta himself remaining as acting prime minister until the formation of a new government.{{cite web | url=http://www.digi24.ro/Stiri/Digi24/Actualitate/Politica/VICTOR+PONTA+DEMISIONEAZA | title=VICTOR PONTA A DEMISIONAT | access-date=4 November 2015}} "I hope the government's resignation will satisfy the people who came out in the streets", Ponta said in a statement.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34720183 |title=Romania PM Ponta resigns over Bucharest nightclub fire |work=BBC News |date=4 November 2015}} Pressure had been mounting on Ponta for the previous month. In October 2015, he lost the Social Democratic Party leadership to Liviu Dragnea amid a tax fraud scandal, and became the country's first sitting premier to stand trial for corruption.{{cite web |url=http://www.euronews.com/2015/11/04/romania-s-prime-minister-victor-ponta-to-resign-today-following-protests-over/ |title=Romania: PM Victor Ponta resigns |work=Euronews |author=Sarah Joanne Taylor |date=4 November 2015}} One hour after the announcement of the government's resignation, Piedone also announced his resignation.{{cite web | url=http://www.mediafax.ro/social/primarul-cristian-popescu-piedone-demisioneaza-si-el-surse-14873457 | title=Primarul Cristian Popescu Piedone demisionează şi el – surse | access-date=4 November 2015}} He accepted his role in the tragedy, and expressed regret for his actions and inaction, stating: "It is a mistake and I undertake that I did not proceed to the resignation from the first day or second day after the accident".{{cite web |url=http://www.digi24.ro/Stiri/Digi24/Actualitate/Politica/CRISTIAN+POPESCU+PIEDONE+A+DEMISIONAT |title=Cristian Popescu Piedone a demisionat: "E un act. Onoarea trebuia să fie în prima zi" |work=Digi24 |date=4 November 2015}}

On 4 November, protests continued for a second consecutive night despite Ponta's resignation, with about 35,000 people in Bucharest,{{cite web | url=http://www.digi24.ro/Stiri/Digi24/Actualitate/Stiri/Oamenii+ies+din+nou+in+strada+in+Bucuresti+si+in+alte+orase | title = 70.000 de români au ieşit în stradă. Oamenii au strigat: "Nu mă cumperi cu două demisii!" | date = 4 November 2015 | access-date= 4 November 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://stirileprotv.ro/stiri/actualitate/noi-proteste-sunt-anuntate-si-pentru-miercuri-seara-ce-vor-manifestantii-sa-se-intample-dupa-caderea-guvernului.html#2050 |title=CORUPTIA UCIDE: Peste 35.000 de oameni au ocupat strazile Capitalei. Proteste de amploare au avut loc in toata tara |work=Stirile Pro TV |date=4 November 2015}} 10,000 in Timișoara, 5,000 in Craiova and Iași, 4,500 in Cluj-Napoca,{{cite web |url=http://www.realitatea.net/proteste-masive-in-romania-70-000-de-oameni-in-strada-nu-doar-guvernul-jos-tot-sistemul_1823844.html |title=Proteste masive în România. 70.000 de oameni, în stradă: "Nu doar Guvernul, jos tot Sistemul" |work=Realitatea.net |date=4 November 2015}} 4,000 in Sibiu, 3,000 in Bacău, Constanța, Galați and Suceava, 1,000 in Oradea{{cite web |url=http://adevarul.ro/locale/oradea/oradea-iese-strada-1000-oradeni-si-au-anuntat-prezenta-mitingul-seara-1_5639e8cff5eaafab2c4b206a/index.html |title=Oradea în stradă. Peste 1.000 de oameni scandează "Am sta în casă, dar morţii nu ne lasă"! |work=Adevărul |date=4 November 2015}} and Focșani.{{cite web |url=http://adevarul.ro/news/eveniment/ce-nu-s-a-vazut-televizor-timpul-protestelor-bucuresti-s-a-incercat-deturnarea-manifestatiei-miting-anti-iohannis-1_563a9ee2f5eaafab2c4fc96a/index.html |title=Ce nu s-a văzut la televizor în timpul protestelor din București: cum s-a încercat deturnarea manifestaţiei către un miting anti-Iohannis |work=Adevărul |author=Vlad Epurescu |date=5 November 2015}} Demonstrators demanded early elections{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34726826 |title=Romania: Protests despite Victor Ponta's resignation |work=BBC News |date=5 November 2015}} and a total change of the political class.{{cite web |url=http://www.gandul.info/politica/zeci-de-mii-de-romani-cer-in-strada-schimbarea-totala-a-clasei-politice-care-este-solutia-lui-iohannis-pentru-consultarile-de-la-cotroceni-14874328 |title=Zeci de mii de români cer în stradă SCHIMBAREA TOTALĂ a clasei politice. Care este SOLUŢIA lui IOHANNIS pentru consultările de la Cotroceni |work=Gândul |author=Clarice Dinu |date=5 November 2015}} Protests in solidarity with those in Romania took place in London and Paris.{{cite web |url=http://stirileprotv.ro/stiri/incendiu-in-colectiv/manifestatiile-din-romania-sustinute-de-romanii-din-strainatate-nu-va-lasam-singuri-s-a-strigat-la-paris-si-londra.html |title=Manifestatiile din Romania, sustinute de romanii din strainatate. "Nu va lasam singuri", s-a strigat la Paris si Londra |work=Stirile Pro TV |date=4 November 2015}}

{{Wide image|Proteste Piața Universității București 5 noiembrie 2015.png|1188px|People protesting in University Square, Bucharest, on 5 November}}

On 5 November, around 12,000 people protested in Bucharest and 10,000 in other big cities. For the first time the president invited representatives from street people to a round of consultations to hear their demands. After the Presidential Administration centralized 5,520 proposals, 20 people, mostly members of NGOs, were chosen to take part in consultations with Klaus Iohannis.{{Cite web|url = http://adevarul.ro/news/politica/cine-reprezinta-protestatarii-consultarile-cotroceni-1_563c77cef5eaafab2c5a6005/index.html|title = Cine sunt cei 20 care au reprezentat societatea civilă la consultările de la Cotroceni. Iohannis: Voi merge în Piaţă, dar nu voi anunţa ora şi ziua|date = 6 November 2015|website = Adevărul|author=Mădălina Mihalache, Sebastian Zachmann}}

The next day, on 6 November, people kept protesting, although in fewer numbers (6,000 in Bucharest and several thousands in other cities). The president told the civil representatives that he will come incognito to talk to people in the streets, indirectly hinting that if they want true change they need to keep asking for it so the politicians can not pretend they do not understand what is asked of them.

On 8 November, in the seventh day of protests, Klaus Iohannis went to University Square,{{cite web |url=http://stirileprotv.ro/stiri/actualitate/klaus-iohannis-a-stat-20-de-minute-in-piata-universitatii-un-lucru-bun-c-a-fost-un-lucru-rau-ca-a-venit-putin-prea-tarziu.html |title=Iohannis a stat 20 de minute in Piata Universitatii. "Un lucru bun c-a fost, un lucru rau ca a venit prea tarziu" |work=Stirile Pro TV |date=9 November 2015}} where he talked with some protesters and listened to their demands. While many expressed gladness at president's presence in the square, others booed, whistled and chanted "Shame on you", "Resignation", "Thieves" and "We don't want you".{{cite web |url=http://www.mediafax.ro/politic/reportaj-prezenta-lui-iohannis-in-piata-universitatii-marcata-de-cereri-si-cateva-incercari-de-dialog-video-14878735 |title=REPORTAJ: Prezenţa lui Iohannis în Piaţa Universităţii, marcată de cereri şi câteva încercări de dialog |work=Mediafax |date=9 November 2015}}

• Corruption in Romania

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{{Riots, protests and civil disorder in Romanian territory}}

Category:2012–2015 unrest in Romania

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Romania

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