The article represents an analysis of the 2016 local elections in the broader context of the paradigm of political change, which is dominant in the Romanian public space. The starting premise is that local elections could indicate if the changes generated by the protest which followed the Club Colectiv tragedy have continuity and are consistently supported by both citizens and political actors. The election results show that the wave of protest and the pressure to reform the political class is only partially reflected in the citizens vote.