Romania’s populist President Traian Basescu told a crowd of about 1,000 in Bucharest University Square on Saturday night that he should meet with the people “at least once every three months” in the said square in public events where he should present reports of his activity in pursuing reform and fight against political abuse.

He made the statement shortly after he learned that a majority of voters yesterday opted to have him return to office in a referendum that called for his dismissal.

He said the Saturday vote showed the “anti-presidency parties” - that is, most parties in the Romanian Government - stepped away from the people. He said referendum results showed many of those parties’ usual voters gave their support to him, not to the ones they usually vote for.

And he said he understood the results - some 75% of Romanians voted in favor of him returning to office, with the rest opting to have him dismissed - are proof of the public support that his political projects have garnered.

According to a poll by Insomar, quoted by Romanian news station Realitatea TV, 59% of National Liberal Party (PNL) voters voted in favor of Basescu, as did 43.5% of Greater Romania Party (PRM) voters, 57.9% of Hungarian Democrats (UDMR) voters) and 24% of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) voters.

All these parties voted for the suspension of President Traian Basescu in the Parliament on April 19, triggering the referendum.

Some 1,000 people attended the University Square demonstration after polls closed on Saturday evening.