Romanian PM Ponta wins no confidence vote

Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta survived a no-confidence vote in parliament on Tuesday, a week after he went on trial on corruption charges.

All three parties in his coalition abstained from the vote, which saw 207 votes to 8 in favor of the motion, short of the 275 votes needed to dismiss Ponta from office.

"The opposition motion didn't pass. No ruling party deputy has cast a vote," a ruling party lawmaker told Reuters by telephone from parliament.

Although the outcome was expected, the main opposition Liberals said the result showed how Ponta's position had become divorced from reality. He is the country's first sitting premier to stand trial for corruption.

Ponta faces charges of tax evasion, money laundering, conflict of interest and making false statements while he was working as a lawyer in 2007/8. He denies any wrongdoing. Several of his allies also face corruption charges.

Several thousand people protested in a park next to parliament ahead of the vote, shouting that Ponta was "a disgrace for Romania in the European Union!" There have been growing calls for what became known as a "Pontexit" as the scandal intensified.

Ponta, who became prime minister in 2012, argues that the Romania's economy has recovered during his tenure and his leaving would create political instability.

Following the vote, Ponta said he supported a plan to request a new aid deal from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), following several bailouts received since 2009, when the financial crisis hit.

mm/msh (AP, Reuters)