On 27 September 2026, Timișoara Mayor and leader of ALDE Party member USR, Dominic Fritz, brought over a thousand supporters together for a political event titled “Timișoara. The Revolution Continues” at the CRAFT regional business centre.
Despite his re-election as Mayor in 2024, Fritz was forced to leave office after a recent legal dispute saw his mandate terminated under a new retroactively applied integrity law linked to a ruling from six years ago.
The demonstration was a highly public farewell rally, organised three days before his mayoral mandate was due to end on 30 September. The event came six years after Fritz was first elected Mayor of Timișoara in 2020.
Liberals are concerned about the situation, which they argue raises wider questions about the rule of law in an EU country. Removing an elected leader after his re-election has also prompted questions about the state of Romanian democracy.
Fritz used the demonstration to denounce the dismissal and remind people that "the Revolution is not a piece in a museum" but is instead a daily fight for a fair and just Romania – after Timișoara was the place that ignited the revolutionary spark in 1989.
In his speech, he urged liberals to fight back and assured the public that he would not give up, despite recent events:
“If anyone thinks the USR is going to take a beating, they are sorely mistaken. If someone thinks that Timișoara will be trampled on, they don’t know this city."
Looking ahead, the core mission of USR is to form a ruling government completely free of the Social Democrat PSD and the right-wing AUR party. Fritz promised voters that, despite losing his seat, he will never stop fighting for systemic change or leave Romanian politics.
The event was backed by high profile USR members including Minister Diana Buzoianu who voiced firm solidarity with Fritz and accused opponents of acting out of fear of USR's growing influence.
After rallying supporters and making promises for the future, Fritz ended on a personal note during his farewell. He delivered a passionate speech before playing an emotional rendition of the Romanian national anthem on the piano, with the crowd standing and chanting ‘Timișoara! Timișoara!’ at the end.
The liberal family stands with Fritz and the people of Timișoara - and especially for democratic freedoms. Fritz will continue to fight for what is right after being "charged with your energy for the battles to come,” which will include legal battles and organising the party on a national level.
This article was contributed to by Ioana Pavel, Political Assistant at ALDE Party.