Romania's ruling leftists pick new justice minister after decree debacle

Romanian Justice Minister Florin Iordache walks after delivering a speech following his resignation in Bucharest, Romania February 9, 2017. Inquam Photos/Octav Ganea/ via REUTERS

BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Romania's governing coalition proposed a new justice minister on Wednesday as part of a cabinet reshuffle it hopes will draw a line under a period of upheaval triggered by a decree on graft that it was later forced to scrap.

The decree would have decriminalized several graft offences, effectively shielding dozens of public officials from prosecution. Its architect, Florin Iordache, quit as justice minister after mass protests involving at least half a million people and criticism from the European Union.