Romanians vote on whether to impeach president

[alp227]

Source: Reuters

Romanians have been voting on whether to impeach their president, Traian Basescu, after a government campaign to remove him that has drawn international criticism and raised doubts about the country's IMF aid deal.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta's leftist Social Liberal Union (USL) has suspended Basescu. The effort to unseat the president has prompted condemnation from Brussels, which accused Ponta of undermining the rule of law and intimidating judges.

Ponta's government took office in May and is holding the referendum to seek popular backing for the impeachment of Basescu for overstepping his powers. The president is unpopular for backing austerity measures and for perceptions of cronyism.

Opinion polls show that around 65% of Romanians want to remove the former sea captain from office, but the opposition has called for a boycott of the vote and the USL was struggling to get the turnout of more than 50% on Sunday needed for a valid vote.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jul/29/romania-vote-impeach-traian-basescu

[grasswire]

2. and you live in the US?

I have a family member who travels to Romania periodically to do humanitarian work in some villages. She says she can't ask her friends there about the political situation. They communicate on facebook.

[rocktivity]

4. I didn't know Mitt Romney had his own political party

rocktivity

[Eugene]

5. Romanian president survives impeachment referendum

Source: Reuters

Romanian president survives impeachment referendum

By Luiza Ilie and Sam Cage
BUCHAREST | Sun Jul 29, 2012 6:29pm EDT

(Reuters) - Romanian President Traian Basescu survived a referendum on his impeachment on Sunday after the voter turnout fell short of the required level and derailed an effort by his opponents to oust him from office.

Leftist Prime Minister Victor Ponta's efforts to unseat the conservative Basescu have brought a stern dressing-down from the European Union, which accused him of undermining the rule of law and intimidating judges.

The row over Basescu has delayed policymaking, sent the leu currency plunging to record lows, and pushed up borrowing costs. It also raised concern about the future of Romania's 5 billion euro ($6.2 billion) International Monetary Fund-led aid deal.

The election bureau said the voter turnout was 46 percent, below the 50 percent threshold Ponta's leftist Social Liberal Union (USL) needed to make the referendum valid.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/29/us-romania-politics-idUSBRE86S0I420120729