Romanian government survives no-confidence motion over graft debacle

Romania's Social Democrat-led government easily survived a no-confidence motion in parliament on Wednesday, three days after mass street protests forced it into a U-turn over a graft decree.

The motion was initiated by the centre-right opposition, the National Liberal Party and the National Salvation Front, with further support of the People's Movement Party.

The motion needed 233 out of 465 votes to pass, however, it was supported only by 161 lawmakers.

The Social Democrats and their allies control nearly two thirds of the seats in parliament after winning a December election. On Monday, Social Democrats' leader Liviu Dragnea said the government had no reasons to resign amid anti-governmental protests, adding that it fully supported Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu.

The government, however, has been badly shaken by the protests, the largest in Romania since the 1989 fall of communism, and opposition parties vowed after Wednesday's vote to continue their close scrutiny of the ruling party's actions.

One minister resigned last week saying he could not support the decree and the Social Democrats have said they are considering the position of Justice Minister Florin Iordache, the architect of the decree.

Critics said the decree, which also drew condemnation from Romania's Western allies, would have turned back the clock on the fight against corruption in the ex-communist nation of 20 million people. The government rescinded the decree on Sunday.

"I do hope that as of today we get back to work," Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu told lawmakers before the vote.

The decree would decriminalise some graft offences and see about 2,500 people from prison serving sentences of less than five years being freed. It was considered to be one of the biggest retreat on reforms since the country joined the European Union in 2007.