February 13 (SeeNews) - Some 80,000 people gathered on Sunday night in Bucharest and other Romanian cities seeking the government's resignation over what they see as attempts to weaken the country's fight against graft.
An estimated 50,000 people protested peacefully in Bucharest only and a total of 30,000 marched on Sunday through the streets of almost all big cities, according to local media reports.
Sunday's demonstrations, the 13th consecutive day of protests against the government, took place even though the cabinet had repealed the controversial decree that eases or scraps penalties for corruption offences and justice minister Florin Iordache stepped down last week.
The decree would have made abuse of office punishable by jail only if the sums involved exceeded 200,000 lei ($47,500/44,000 euro).
A vote of no confidence against the coalition government failed on Wednesday as opposition in parliament lacked enough votes, while the MPs from the parties in the coalition did not vote.
On Tuesday, Romania's president Klaus Iohannis said that he does not want the government to resign, even though he found it responsible for the crisis.
(1 euro = 4.5006 lei)