Thousands of people have gathered in Romania's capital to protest a contentious judicial overhaul they say will make it harder to prosecute senior officials for graft.

Romanians of all ages assembled in Bucharest's Victory Square on Saturday for the protest held under a motto of "We want Europe, not a dictatorship!"

They blew whistles, waved flags and yelled "Resign!" Police ringed part of the square.

Anti-corruption demonstrations have been held regularly in Romania since the current left-wing government came to power in 2016 and starting pursuing legal changes that critics fear will weaken the fight against corruption.

Gabriel Vasilache, a 35-year-old manager attending Saturday's demonstration, said: "This government is dragging us away from Europe," adding: "We are here for our future and our children's future."