Laura Codruta Kövesi, head of Romania's anti-corruption investigative body | Daniel Mihalescu/AFP via Getty Images Romanian court rules president should dismiss corruption watchdog Ruling prompted protests in Bucharest and other cities.

Romania's Constitutional Court ruled Wednesday that the president should dismiss top anti-corruption prosecutor Laura Codruta Kövesi — a leading figure in fighting graft among high-ranking politicians.

Justice Minister Tudorel Toader had in February called for the removal of Kövesi, whose National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) has earned praise from the European Commission for its work. Toader accused her of acting beyond her responsibilities, not respecting the authority of the parliament and making defamatory comments about Romania in the international press, but President Klaus Iohannis rejected Toader's request, saying he wasn't convinced by the minister's arguments.

The court ruled Wednesday, however, that the president did not in fact have "discretionary power" in the procedure to dismiss prosecutors, but rather could only evaluate the "regularity and legality" of the procedure.

The ruling limits the president's role in appointing and dismissing top prosecutors, effectively putting all the power to do so in the hands of the justice minister, a political appointee.

"The Court, having regard to the case law so far, established the constitutional conduct to be followed, namely, the issuance by the President of Romania of the decree of dismissal of the chief prosecutor of the National Anticorruption Directorate, Laura Codruta Kövesi," the court said in a statement.

The court decision, backed by six out of nine judges, prompted protests in Bucharest and other Romanian cities in response.

The EU set up a mechanism to monitor corruption and judicial reform within Romania in 2007 when it gained EU membership. The DNA, which was created in 2002, only seemed to build up steam after Kövesi took the reins in 2013 and set to work prosecuting hundreds of public figures, including top politicians.

Many see her as the human face of Romania's anti-corruption fight, while others, including politicians from the ruling party, have accused her of playing political games.

In April, Romania also planned changes to its judiciary laws and criminal codes that were slammed by the Council of Europe's anti-corruption body for violating European anti-corruption standards. The changes were seen by critics in both Romania and Brussels as an attempt by the ruling coalition to let political corruption go unpunished.

Carmen Paun contributed reporting.