Romania's minority centrist government survived a parliamentary no-confidence vote on Monday that had been proposed by President Traian Basescu's opposition Democrat party.
The Democrats had said Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu's cabinet has lost its legitimacy to rule after voters overwhelmingly rejected efforts to oust Basescu in a May 19 referendum backed by the premier. But Tariceanu and his Liberal party survived the no-confidence vote, which underscored the government's tacit cooperation with the powerful ex-communist Social Democrat Party (PSD).
A total of 153 deputies abstained and even though more deputies who did vote backed the motion - 115 for to 112 against - the result was far off the 235 votes needed to topple the government.