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Romania’s government falls after Parliament vote
Bucharest, Romania (CNN) — Romania’s government collapsed Friday and a new prime minister was appointed after a censure motion filed by the opposition won approval in Parliament.
It is the second time this year a Romanian government has crashed. This time it fell less than three months after Prime Minister Mihai Razvan Ungureanu took office.
The censure motion passed with 235 votes, four more than the minimum required by the Romanian Constitution. There are 460 legislators.
The motion was filed by the opposition Social Democrats and Liberals, who accused the Cabinet of lack of transparency in the selling of natural resources and in approving money transfers to local authorities belonging to the ruling parties.
Friday evening, President Traian Basescu appointed Social Democrat leader Victor Ponta as the new prime minister with the task of forming a new government.
Porta’s was the only name suggested after Basescu invited all political parties to submit their nominations. Porta was backed by all members of the opposition coalition, and other parties made no nominations.
Earlier, Ponta had said he was ready to step in, saying the opposition coalition members “already have a government proposal.”
Some voices inside the coalition didn’t agree, however. Social Democrat Ion Iliescu, a former Romanian president, said the country should have an independent government for the next six months until parliamentary elections are held.
Ponta said he will soon announce the members of the new government, which will have to pass a confidence vote in Parliament to be installed.
The outgoing coalition failed to back the government in the confidence vote after several Liberal Democrat members, including its vice president, resigned and joined the opposition alliance.
Democrat Liberal leader Emil Boc expressed disappointment. “The minorities group betrayed us and voted for the motion,” he said. “It is very hard to still trust the actual coalition.”
Ungureanu said he respects democracy but he offered no excuses: “I was honored to run such a government. I am glad we managed to do what we had to do for this country and the results are obvious.”
Pictured: Outgoing Prime Minister Mihai Razvan Ungureanu, left, and members of his government in Parliament on Wednesday
