Bucharest:
The Romanian government of liberal Prime Minister Florin Citu was brought down by a no-self-confidence vote on Tuesday, threatening to plunge the nation into fresh political instability.
The outcome of the vote showed 281 Members of Parliament voting in favour of the no-self-confidence motion, with none against, as the government and its allies boycotted the poll.
The crisis comes as Romania, one of the poorest nations in the European Union, battles a deadly fourth wave of coronavirus and as Romanians threat large bills more than the coming winter due to spiralling power fees.
Former banker Florin Citu, 49, has been prime minister only because December just after the preceding parliamentary election, but has currently been abandoned by his centre-correct coalition companion and heavily criticised by the left.
The centre-correct Save Romania Union (USR) party last month withdrew from his liberal coalition, complaining about Citu’s “dictatorial attitude”.
The left-wing opposition Social Democrats (PSD) accuse his government of “impoverishing Romanians and increasing the country’s debts”.
The vote came just after just two hours of debate amongst Members of Parliament, at the starting of which Citu asked his opponents: “What do you have to gain by plunging the country into chaos?”
However, Citu could but stay in location — initially on an interim basis but possibly longer-term.
Under the constitution, centre-correct President Klaus Iohannis would have to name a new prime minister.
There is speculation, nevertheless, that Iohannis may well just re-nominate Citu, daring other parties to provoke fresh elections, which according to existing opinion polls, would probably favour only the leftist PSD.
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