No-confidence vote topples PM Bolojan government in Romania

Romania’s Parliament has approved a motion of no confidence against the government of Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan.

At a joint sitting of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, 281 lawmakers voted in favour of the motion, while 4 voted against and 3 ballots were declared invalid. At least 233 votes were required for the motion to pass, according to Romanian media.

The vote was among the most strongly supported no-confidence motions in the country’s parliamentary history. 

Following the vote, Ilie Bolojan left the parliament building and returned to the government.

The political crisis in the country has intensified after a split in the ruling coalition and the withdrawal of seven ministers from the Social Democratic Party. The initiators of the motion accused the government of worsening economic conditions, rising inflation, an increase in VAT, and cuts to social benefits.

By Jeyhun Aghazada