Despite the changes taking place in the entire Eastern Bloc, Ceaușescu did not want to carry

out the reforms that were increasingly demanded by society.

One of the main factors triggering the revolution in Romania was the order of the state

authorities to leave the parish of Timișoara by the pastor of the Hungarian parish of László

Tőkés. He was a symbolic figure of resistance against Ceaușescu's power. He informed the

faithful of the decision of the authorities and refused to execute it. On 16 December 1989, the

militia wanted to remove the pastor, but the gathered believers prevented it. The next day, the

police forced their way into the church to open fire on the demonstrators and arrested Tőkés.

Similarly, they were struggling with the demonstration under the seat of the Provincial Office

and the Party Committee. More and more demonstrators gathered in the city and part of the

army went to their side. Further strikes and fighting with Securitate troops broke out and the

atmosphere of rebellion spread to the rest of Romania.

On 19 December in a special TV speech, Ceaușescu stated that the riots in Timișoara were the

responsibility of "revolvers, revisionists and foreign secret services". On 21 December in the

capital of Ceaușescu, he delivered a speech from the balcony of the Central Committee seat in

the presence of tens of thousands of people. However, instead of applause, he faced hostility.

Shouts sounded: 'away with Ceaușescu' were heard. The demonstrators and the defenders of

the regime and Securitate fights started. Seeing that the army was on the side of the rebellion,

the dictator and his wife decided to escape. However, they were arrested and brought before a

military tribunal. On 25 December, the death penalty was imposed, carried and documented

by the cameras (they were shot). Nobody expected the dictator to fall so quickly. Ilon Iliescu,

the representative of the Romanian Communist Party, held the interim position of President. It

adopted a decree on the registration and operation of political parties, and the clashes

themselves came to an end.