Mantel, whose latest books are set in the Tudor court, is lucky she is not a character in one of her own books.

CNN: Opinion: Author's rant on Catherine 'mean and cheap'

Mantel, whose latest novels are set in the royal court in Tudor times, said she believed she had been "set up" as a hate figure.

BBC: Hilary Mantel

Another hopeful sign is that Mr Nastase's comparative popularity has weakened support for the opposition Greater Romania Party and its leader, Vadim Tudor, a sycophant in Ceausescu's court whose xenophobic nationalism won him 33% of the vote in last year's presidential election.

ECONOMIST: Romania's reforms