Thousands of frustrated Romanians have been taking to the streets of the capital, Bucharest, and other cities in the country since Thursday, voicing their anger against the president, strict austerity measures and the government in general.

Behind the protests lies a fierce debate over controversial health care reforms. Most Romanians agree that only fundamental reform can save the country's ailing and corrupt system. The International Monetary Fund (IMF), on which the country is still dependent due to its struggling economy, has also been pressing for reform. But opponents of the proposed reforms fear they won't change much in the end and say the system will continue to be controlled by the corrupt institutions.

The growing protest movement was sparked by last week's resignation of the deputy health minister, Raed Arafat. Arafat, a widely-respected Palestinian-born doctor and the founder of Romania's national emergency services, stepped down following a row with President Traian Basescu in which he warned that the efficient service he set up could be cut under the proposed reforms. Critics of the president, who they say has become too outspoken and increasingly argumentative, set out to march in support of the highly respected former minister.

Demonstrations escalate

Protesters are calling for Basescu's resignation

The proposed reform bill presented a plan to open the health care market to private ambulance services and emergency services. Many Romanians feared this would only increase corruption and create a further divide between the classes, leading to a two-tier system in which only the wealthy would be able to afford care.

Although Basescu moved to reverse course and withdraw the bill on Friday, the protests continued to spread. What started as pro-Arafat demonstrations on Thursday widened over the weekend to become an all-purpose wave of dissent, against the president, the severe austerity program under Prime Minister Emil Boc, and the entire political establishment, which many Romanians see as incompetent and corrupt.

The initial peaceful demonstrations in Bucharest with a few thousand participants escalated quickly as the crowds were infiltrated by well-organized, violent football hooligans who clashed with police and law enforcement officials. Stores were looted and set ablaze, and at least 70 people were injured over the weekend, among them a number of police and journalists.

Protests turned violent over the weekend

Volatile backdrop

Violent political protest is fairly unusual in Romania. After the bloody political revolution in 1989/1990, successive governments tried to delay the painful consequences of necessary reforms. As a result, relative calm ruled in society, but these decisions also postponed development.

Now, five years after joining the EU, Romania is feeling more than just the effects of the global financial and economic crisis. Widespread corruption and the inability of the judiciary to take action against it, along with disunity between the various political parties, have only fuelled the anger of many citizens. In addition, many Romanians have accused President Basescu of running an increasingly authoritarian administration.

Against this background, it was no surprise that politicians from the social-liberal opposition chose to join the spontaneous protest movement. They have long called for Basescu and his entire cabinet to step down. But the credibility of those opposition politicians who joined the ranks of the demonstrators is equally suspect - the protests have also been directed toward them.

Prime Minister Emil Boc has now announced a new approach for the health care reform, excluding the privatization of emergency services. The service set up by Arafat will remain in place, untouched. On Monday, Boc condemned the weekend's violence and called for those involved to solve the crisis with dialogue.

But protesters have remained undeterred, and further demonstrations are planned for the coming days.

Author: Robert Schwartz / cmk

Editor: Nancy Isenson