Report: Romania government may back down on misconduct law

Un grupo de manifestantes sostiene títeres que representan, de izquierda a derecha, al ministro de Justicia Floring Lordache, al ex primer ministro Victor Ponta, al presidente del Senado Calin Popescu Tariceanu; a Liviu Dragnea, líder del Partido Socialdemócrata, y al primer ministro Sorin Grindeanu durante una protesta en Bucarest, Rumania, el viernes 3 de febrero de 2017. Los inconformes responsabilizan a los políticos de un decreto que debilita la lucha del país contra la corrupción. La pancarta en el centro afirma: "Llegamos a robar porque es legal". (AP Foto/Vadim Ghirda) (The Associated Press)

Un hombre ondea una bandera rumana durante una protesta masiva en Bucarest, el jueves 2 de febrero del 2017, para oponerse a un decreto del gobierno que diluye la definición legal de corrupción. (AP Foto/Vadim Ghirda) (The Associated Press)

Protesters shout slogans during a protest in Bucharest, Romania, Friday, Feb. 3, 2017. Romania's political crisis is deepening over a government decree that may benefit rich and powerful people convicted of corruption. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) (The Associated Press)

The chairman of Romania's governing party has suggested that the government could back down in the face of massive protests against an ordinance which would decriminalize official misconduct.

In the first concession floated by the center-left government since the crisis broke out last month, party chairman Liviu Dragnea said Saturday in an interview with DC News he would meet Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu to "propose a solution."

Dragnea says, "we can possibly talking about repealing the decree if the prime minister agrees." Dragnea controls the government, and his comments suggest the matter has already been decided.

On Saturday, thousands of Romanians took to the streets for a fifth consecutive day to protest the decree that waters down the country's anti-corruption fight, sparking condemnation at home and abroad