Live
play
  • News
    • Middle East
    • Africa
    • Asia
    • US & Canada
    • Latin America
    • Europe
    • Asia Pacific
  • Coronavirus
  • Features
  • Economy
  • Opinion
  • Video
  • More
    • Investigations
    • Interactives
    • In Pictures
    • Climate
    • Science & Technology
    • Sports
    • Podcasts

In Pictures

Gallery

Public discontent swells in Romania

Tens of thousands took to the streets of Bucharest despite PM’s resignation over the nightclub fire that killed 32.

More than 30,000 Romanians took to the streets in Bucharest after Prime Minister Victor Ponta announced his resignation earlier in the day. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]
More than 30,000 Romanians took to the streets in Bucharest after Prime Minister Victor Ponta announced his resignation earlier in the day. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]
By 
Ioana Moldovan
5 Nov 2015
facebooktwitterwhatsapp

Bucharest, Romania – More than 70,000 people took to the streets of the main cities in Romania on Wednesday. An estimated 35,000 marched through Bucharest and occupied the centre of the city blocking traffic in the area.

On Wednesday morning, Victor Ponta, Romania’s prime minister, resigned after 25,000 people demanded he step down over the nightclub fire that left 32 people dead and more than 130 still in hospitals.

During the day on Wednesday, the general feeling after Ponta’s resignation was one of victory, but Romanians are expressing a broader discontent that goes beyond one government or the other.

They were chanting: “You can’t buy me with a resignation or two,” which goes to prove that civil society is battling first and foremost the endemic corruption in the country.

Distrust with the political elite is so far reaching in Romania, that people are simply demanding a clean slate. With the premier Ponta gone from office, scrutiny shifted towards the Romanian president Klaus Iohannis.

According to the constitution, after negotiations with political parties represented in parliament, Iohannis has to name a new head of government. Protesters want to prevent the same corrupt political elite from coming to power.

“Iohannis, you only get one chance,” tens of thousands of Romanians shouted during the protests.

There is a buzzing initiative on Romanian social media that lists possible civil society candidates suitable for public office who should replace politicians in government and other agencies.

Protesters’ slogans were also against the Romanian Orthodox Church. People were chanting: 'We want hospitals, no churches', related to the fact that there are a lot more churches in Romania than hospitals. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]
Protesters’ slogans were also against the Romanian Orthodox Church. People were chanting: 'We want hospitals, no churches', related to the fact that there are a lot more churches in Romania than hospitals. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]
Advertisement
Protesters occupied the University Square in the centre of Bucharest, blocking traffic in the area. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]
Protesters occupied the University Square in the centre of Bucharest, blocking traffic in the area. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]
Protesters marched from University Square to the House of Parliament. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]
Protesters marched from University Square to the House of Parliament. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]
Passers-by take photos of the people marching on the streets of Bucharest. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]
Passers-by take photos of the people marching on the streets of Bucharest. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]
Protesters in front of the House of Parliament in Bucharest request early elections. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]
Protesters in front of the House of Parliament in Bucharest request early elections. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]
The resignations of Ponta and sector Mayor Cristian Piedone are not enough for the protesters. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]
The resignations of Ponta and sector Mayor Cristian Piedone are not enough for the protesters. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]
Advertisement
A young protester holds a candle in remembrance of the nightclub fire that left 32 people dead and also sparked the indignation of the nation. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]
A young protester holds a candle in remembrance of the nightclub fire that left 32 people dead and also sparked the indignation of the nation. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]
The protests are largely covered on social media. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]
The protests are largely covered on social media. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]
A couple in wheelchairs attend to the protests. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]
A couple in wheelchairs attend to the protests. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]
'Be scared, Romanians awake', the protesters chant in front of the House of Parliament. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]
'Be scared, Romanians awake', the protesters chant in front of the House of Parliament. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]
The Romanian flag with a hole in the middle represents the Romanian revolution of 1989, when communism ended. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]
The Romanian flag with a hole in the middle represents the Romanian revolution of 1989, when communism ended. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]
Protesters march to the University Square chanting 'Romania is not for sale.' [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]
Protesters march to the University Square chanting 'Romania is not for sale.' [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]
Protesters hold a moment of silence for the ones who died in the nightclub fire. During the protest, people often chanted, 'Colectiv' - the name of the club. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]
Protesters hold a moment of silence for the ones who died in the nightclub fire. During the protest, people often chanted, 'Colectiv' - the name of the club. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]

Related

Victor Ponta, Romania's prime minister, has announced the resignation of his government [Robert Ghement/EPA]

Romania PM Ponta resigns over nightclub fire

Victor Ponta hands in his mandate after thousands rally in Bucharest demanding resignations over deadly nightclub fire.

Up to 300 people were attending a rock concert at the Colectiv nightclub in Bucharest when the fire broke out [Reuters]

Romania declares national mourning over nightclub fire

Romanian officials say at least 27 people dead and 180 more wounded in the incident, with toll expected to rise.

More from Gallery

In Pictures: Troops, riot fencing and razor wire in Washington DC

Members of the National Guard patrol near the United States Capitol building ahead of US President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration, in Washington, DC. [Andrew Kelly/Reuters]

Photos: Kashmir resort sees tourists after back-to-back shutdowns

Tourists again fill Gulmarg's hotels, and ski, sledge and trek its Himalayan landscape. [Dar Yasin/AP Photo]

In Pictures: Tunisian troops quell unrest with force

Tunisian security forces fire tear gas as protesters block a street in the el-Tadamen suburb on the northwestern outskirts of Tunis. [Fethi Belaid/AFP]

In Pictures: Guatemala forces battle desperate Honduran migrants

Guatemalan police fire tear gas to disperse a caravan of thousands of migrants heading towards the US. [Johan Ordonez/AFP]
Most Read

Trump pardons 73, commutes sentence for 70 others: Full list

Trump did not pardon himself, members of his family or lawyer Rudy Giuliani [File/Evan Vucci/AP]

Trump, in farewell address, says movement ‘only just beginning’

President Donald Trump released a farewell video on Tuesday, his last full day in office [File: Gerald Herbert/AP Photo]

Trump pardons ex-aide Bannon, dozens of others: White House

Former adviser Steve Bannon (back left) has been granted a pardon by outgoing President Donald Trump according to reports [File: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters]

China’s Jack Ma emerges for first time since Ant crackdown

The re-emergence of Jack Ma, co-founder of Ant, one of China's biggest technology firms, may help quell persistent rumours about his fate while Beijing pursues investigations into online finance [File: Marlene Awaad/Bloomberg]
  • About
    • About Us
    • Code of Ethics
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Cookie Preferences
    • Community Guidelines
    • Work for us
    • HR Quality
  • Connect
    • Contact Us
    • Apps
    • Newsletters
    • Channel Finder
    • TV Schedule
    • Podcasts
    • Submit a Tip
  • Our Channels
    • Al Jazeera Arabic
    • Al Jazeera English
    • Al Jazeera Mubasher
    • Al Jazeera Documentary
    • Al Jazeera Balkans
    • AJ+
  • Our Network
    • Al Jazeera Centre for Studies
    • Al Jazeera Media Institute
    • Learn Arabic
    • Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human Rights
    • Al Jazeera Forum
    • Al Jazeera Hotel Partners
Follow Al Jazeera English:rssinstagramyoutubetwitterfacebook
logo
© 2021 Al Jazeera Media Network