The leader of Romania’s ruling party, Liviu Dragnea, has been sentenced to three years and six months in prison for instigating abuse of office.
The ruling came from the High Court on Thursday in a case that saw the head of the Social Democratic Party charged with instigating the abuse of public office and forgery. The ruling was postponed twice before.
The Anti-Corruption Agency (DNA) had called on judges to convict Dragnea to a total of 10 years in prison.
Dragnea was accused of intervening from the years 2006-2012 to keep two women on the payroll of a state agency while being employed by his party.
Liviu Dragnea, who is also speaker of the lower house, has denied all the charges and is expected to appeal.
In the meantime, more than 5,000 people gathered outside government headquarters calling for the resignation of Dragnea as speaker as well as of the Prime Minister, Viorica Dancila.
Some also expressed anger at the leniency of the sentence.
A fresh criminal conviction for Dragnea, who is already barred from becoming prime minister because of a previous conviction for vote-rigging, could weaken his grip on Romania’s biggest party and the five-month-old government.
