Parliament passes motion of censure

Parliament on Tuesday passed a motion of censure called '11 versus Romania' against the Government, 254 to 176, Chamber of Deputies Secretary Valeriu Zgonea reports.

He says 448 MPs from both chambers attended the vote session, 434 of whom cast ballots.

'The Government has now lost the confidence of Parliament,' said Mircea Geoana, who chaired the joint vote session.

According to Article 110 of the Constitution, the Government is deemed dismissed at the date when Parliament withdraws its confidence in it. In such circumstances, Article 103 of the Constitution provides that the President will appoint a candidate for prime minister in consultation with the party that holds the absolute majority in Parliament or, when such majority does not exists, in consultation with the parliamentary parties.

Article 103 also says that the candidate for prime minister will ask Parliament for a confidence vote in his programme and the list of Cabinet members, and do so within 10 days since nomination. Parliament will consider the programme and the list in a joint session and offer its confidence by the vote of a majority of MPs from both chambers.

Article 110 says that a Government without Parliament's confidence will carry out only the necessary actions for the management of the public affairs until the new Government is sworn in.

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Prime Minister Emil Boc on Tuesday said the motion of censure cleared Parliament thanks to the majority of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and National Liberal party (PNL), because they wanted to make sure they do not lose their privileges.

'I have lost a battle, yet not the war,' said Boc.

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After the passage of the motion of censure on Tuesday, Senate Chairman Mircea Geoana urged the President 'to prove that he can rise above his own electoral interests,' underscoring that the PSD wants a Government of independent specialists to be installed.

Geoana said Parliament halted the activity of an 'abusive Government', which would have attached more attention to the electoral agenda of President Traian Basescu.

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Chief of the opposition National Liberal Party (PNL) Crin Antonescu said on Tuesday that the passage of the motion of censure and the overthrowing of the Government is a victory of democratic principles, a win for Romania and a victory for PNL.

Antonescu also said PNL will nominate an independent prime minister, calling on the President to start consultations with the parliamentary parties to designate a new Government.

Agerpres