Romanian PM voted out of office by own party

Bucharest, June 21 (IANS) Romanian Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu lost his job on Wednesday after his own party and its governing partner voted against him in a no-confidence motion in parliament.

This was the first time in the east European country that a governing coalition has sacked its own Prime Minister, the Romanian news channel Digi24 reported.

In the vote, 241 lawmakers cast their ballots in favour of ousting Grindeanu, while the minimum number of votes required for the move was 233, according to the country's parliament.

The vote was the climax of a week of political crisis in Romania, which started when the ruling Social Democrats (PSD) and its junior partner, ALDE, pulled out their political support for the government -- which came to power just six months ago, Politico reported.

They argued that Grindeanu had fallen behind schedule implementing the coalition's agreed economic reform programme.

Grindeanu was also involved in a power struggle with party leader Liviu Dragnea, who was barred from office after a conviction for voter fraud.

The PSD won elections in December only a year after losing power. Within weeks, protests erupted across the country over a decree seen as weakening anti-corruption measures in one of the European Union's most corrupt member states, BBC reported.

In February, the EU warned the government in Bucharest against "backtracking" in its efforts against corruption.

Although Grindeanu withdrew the decree, the crisis weakened the new government and soured relations between the Prime Minister and Dragnea.

Dragnea criticised his rival's performance in government on Wednesdsay, accusing him of failing to push through "the most ambitious programme since 1989".