Justice Minister resigns

Justice Minister Florin Iordache has resigned amidst street protests against a controversial Government decree.

Ştefan Stoica, 10.02.2017, 13:47

On January 31st, the Government adopted late into the night a controversial decree amending criminal legislation. Since then, Justice Minister Florin Iordache, the man who spearheaded the project, has become the main target of criticism and biting irony voiced by anti-government protesters, along with Social-Democrat leader Liviu Dragnea, seen as the main beneficiary of the Government’s attempt to decriminalize the corrupt behavior of elected officials.

The decree was repealed last Sunday when over half a million people protested against the Government in Bucharest and other cities. Protesters were disgruntled with the content of the decree and secrecy and urgency of its adoption. Four days later, Florin Iordache tendered his resignation, in what many have seen as a gesture waiting to happen. For his part, Florin Iordache said he had no regrets about his term in office.

Florin Iordache: “All my initiatives were legal and in line with the Constitution. The projects I have proposed or which are currently under public debate at the Justice Ministry are now being debated by Parliament. Still, this was not enough for the public, which is why I have chosen to resign as Minister of Justice”.

Consulted in this matter, the Constitutional Court ruled that Iordache’s decrees are legal, thus rejecting the notifications filed by the Superior Council of Magistracy and the President regarding possible institutional conflicts the decree might have resulted in. However, the Court did not say whether the decree was constitutional, simply because the decree had in the meantime been repealed.

The court thus did not analyze its content, although some commentators claimed it had to. Politicians have responded to Florin Iordache’s resignation in different ways. For the main parties in opposition, the National Liberal Party and Save Romania Union, Iordache’s resignation presents no guarantees against future abuses of the governing coalition made up of the Social-Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats from Romania.

Siding with voices from the street, the two former parties see Iordache’s departure as insufficient, calling on Liviu Dragnea himself and on Prime Minister Sorin Gridneanu to step down as a sign of acknowledgement for their failure.

Instead, the leader of the Social-Democratic group in the Senate, Serban Nicolae, said he disagreed with Iordache’s decision to resign. Other voices in party have condemned the bad image Iordache has given to the party, just as the Social-Democrats were starting to relish their victory in the legislative elections of December 11.