Romania’s pro-Europe government collapses unleashing fresh turmoil

Romania’s pro-European government has collapsed after losing a confidence vote, unleashing renewed political turmoil less than a year after the ruling coalition was sworn in and with the far right surging in the polls. “This censure motion is false, cynical and artificial,” the liberal prime minister, Ilie Bolojan, told parliamentarians before the vote on Tuesday. “Any country in a multitude of crises would try to consolidate governments, not to change them.” The motion, tabled by the Social Democrats (PSD), the largest party in parliament, and the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), won 281 votes in the 464-seat parliament. Bolojan’s PNL party and its USR allies did not vote. The AUR’s leader, George Simion, called for early elections, saying the “voice of the people” had been heard and his party assumed responsibility for “the future of the country”. Romania’s destiny “must be decided by the votes of Romanians”, he said. But elections are not due until 2028 and a snap ballot is considered unlikely, mainly because the AUR has surged past the PSD as the most popular party in the polls since last year’s parliamentary vote and now enjoys about 37% support. …