Romanian government easily survives vote of no-confidence

Romania's centre-left government on Friday easily survived the motion of no-confidence initiated by main opposition the National Liberal Party (PNL).

The joint plenary sitting of the Senate and Deputies' Chamber rejected the PNL censure motion regarding the vote by correspondence and snap polls, as the motion had only got 194 votes in favor, far from the required minimum.

The government led by Social Democrat leader Victor Ponta emerged from the vote of no-confidence unscathed as the opposition parties supporting the motion were far short of the 278 votes, half plus 1 in the 554-seat bicameral parliament for it to stand.

It was the third no-confidence vote faced by Ponta's cabinet, the other two in May and September 2014.