Romania's PM Victor Ponta Resigns in Wake of Deadly Bucharest Fire

Ponta made the announcement at a press conference Wednesday morning, hours after thousands had marched in the streets of the capital, demanding the resignation of Ponta and other political leaders over Friday's nightclub disaster.

"I must admit that there is a legitimate anger in our society and also a legitimate urge to take bigger responsibility than the owners of that nightclub. People want more than that and, for me, it would be a big error to ignore it," Ponta told reporters, CNN reported.

"I think it is not fair to throw this responsibility on emergency teams or on mayors, state secretaries or ministers. I, myself, am ready to do this gesture demanded by a large part of our society," he said. "Starting from today, I depose my mandate as prime minister, and the mandate of Romania's government."

He said transitional arrangements would be made before a new government could take office.