Riot police detain protestors in front of the government headquarters in Bucharest | Andrei Pungovschi/AFP via Getty Images Clock ticking in Romanian corruption showdown Government, protesters face off over measure to water down punishments for graft.

BUCHAREST — By passing a decree that would let corrupt politicians off the hook, the Romanian government also set the clock ticking on efforts to thwart it.

The measure was passed late Tuesday night, to become effective 10 days later. That deadline has helped galvanize hundreds of thousands of protesters who have flooded the streets to demand the decree be revoked.

With the European Commission and the embassies of Western nations also criticizing the move, the government must decide whether to defy both mainstream European opinion and the biggest demonstrations in Romania since the fall of communism.

Curiously, the fall of the government would not actually aid the protesters’ cause, as a temporary administration would not have the power to cancel the decree, according to political experts.

Events were set in train when Justice Minister Florin Iordache announced that the government would update the penal code by decriminalizing the offense of official misconduct for cases involving damage to the public purse of less than €44,000.

Mobilized by Facebook, thousands of people were in the square soon after midnight — even with the temperature at minus 7 Celsius.

The move was widely interpreted as a way for politicians to avoid jail time if they have been convicted of — or are under investigation for — such offenses. Among those assumed to benefit from the decree is the leader of the ruling Social Democrats, Liviu Dragnea.

The government argues that the measure is a necessary response to a call from the Constitutional Court for a clearer definition of abuse of power. But activists say the decree is really all about politicians’ own interests.

“What they are trying to do is eliminate the corruption charges against their party members and where there are final convictions to eliminate those final convictions,” said Laura Stefan, an anti-corruption specialist at Expert Forum, a think tank focused on public administration.

Within half an hour of the decree being announced, angry protesters swarmed into Piata Victoriei, the square in front of the government’s headquarters.

Andrei Fântână, a 40-year-old musician, was one of those who took to the streets on Tuesday night. He said he had always stayed away from politics — until now.

“My dad was a political prisoner for six years and he couldn’t change anything. So I preferred to do my job, to pay taxes, to tell myself that this is the way to serve my country and, if more people will be like me, it will turn out fine,” he said.

But when the government passed the decree, he said, “the game changed.”

'Like thieves in the night'

Mobilized by Facebook, thousands of people were in the square soon after midnight — even with the temperature at minus 7 Celsius. Some were trying to spot cars carrying members of the government but the ministers had already left the building.

“[You did it] at night, like thieves!” the protesters yelled. Major cities like Cluj, Timisoara and Iasi also erupted in protest.

In the past decade, Romania’s Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) has secured the convictions of hundreds of public officials, including former prime minister Adrian Năstase as well as ministers, MPs, mayors, judges and police chiefs.

In 2015 alone, the DNA prosecuted 1,250 defendants, including another former prime minister, Victor Ponta, and five members of the government.

After the new decree was published, the European Commission released a statement, saying it was following developments in Romania “with great concern” and warning that the progress in the fight against crime had to be irreversible.

Meanwhile, the protests escalated. On Wednesday evening, following a peaceful demonstration that attracted more than 120,000 people, violence broke out.

A group of hooligans set off flares and hurled them at the cordon of armed riot police. The troublemakers — men aged between 20 and 40 — then began to pull out metal barriers and throw them around. The police responded with pepper spray and tear gas.

Clashes followed between protestors demanding peaceful demonstrations and those bent on inciting violence.

Police made a few arrests and some protesters suffered minor injuries. An advertising kiosk was also set ablaze.

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, a former leader of the main opposition National Liberals, who opposes the decree, suggested the Interior Ministry had a hand in triggering the violence.

“The Ministry of the Interior knew exactly when and where groups would prepare to break up the demonstration,” he said, accusing the ministry of putting lives in danger. Interior Minister Carmen Dan denied the allegations.

Social Democrat split

The crisis has now caused cracks to appear among the Social Democrats. Minister of Business Affairs Florin Jianu resigned Thursday morning. “This is what my conscience tells me to do,” said Jianu.

The controversial measure could be stopped in two ways. The Constitutional Court could intervene or the government itself could decide to withdraw it. But the government insisted Thursday it would hold firm despite all the internal and external pressure.

“[Government resignation] would be a sign of political weakness for the PSD-ALDE alliance and it would disappoint their electorate” — Radu Magdin, political analyst

"It all depends on Liviu Dragnea and some of the key stakeholders in the PSD-ALDE (Social Democrat/Liberal) parliamentary majority, and some of the local leaders,” said political analyst Radu Magdin.

“They may be willing to go all the way, despite the protests. If they blink, and give up, they will be both defeated politically and under pressure from political opponents and civil society.”

Experts believe it is unlikely the government itself will resign. The Social Democrats won a landslide election victory as recently as December.

“It would be a sign of political weakness for the PSD-ALDE alliance and it would disappoint their electorate,” said Magdin. “It would also not help the fight against the new law, as an interim government cannot annul a full government's ordinance.”

“Resignation might appease some of the critics,” he added. “But it would not prevent the entry into force of the ordinance.”