Romania Confidence Motion Fails as Cabinet Reasserts Control
- Government looking to ease pressure from protests, president
- Demonstrators planning to ramp up rallies again this weekend
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Romania’s government saw off a no-confidence motion in parliament and sought to reassure protesters who’ve rallied every day for more than a week in the biggest demonstrations since the fall of communism.
Lawmakers from the Social Democrat-led cabinet boycotted Wednesday’s attempt by the opposition to usurp it, avoiding the risk of defections allowing the vote to pass. Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu may also fire his justice minister to placate protesters furious at attempts to weaken anti-corruption efforts. President Klaus Iohannis had attacked the ruling party for not doing enough to relieve the political turmoil that’s engulfed the country, though he said early elections would be too much.