Romania's suspended president returns to office

Romanian President Traian Basescu on Tuesday returned to the Cotroceni Presidential Palace after 52 days of suspension from office. Basescu resumed his term of office after the Constitutional Court ruling that invalidated the July 29 impeachment referendum was read out in the plenary sitting of the parliament and then published in the Official Gazette on Monday. No reinstating ceremony was held at the Cotroceni palace as it was in 2007 when Basescu was welcomed with military honors, after he survived the first impeachment referendum. The top court last Tuesday ruled the referendum was invalid for lack of quorum and Basescu resumes his powers as president. The ruling was introduced Monday afternoon to a joint meeting of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. On July 6, the Romanian parliament approved an impeachment request against Basescu submitted by the Social Liberal Union, a ruling alliance that came to power three months ago and is made up of the Social Democratic Party, the National Liberal Party and the Conservative Party. After this move, the president's power was suspended and the Senate Chairman, Liberal Crin Antonescu took over as Romania's interim president. A national referendum was held on July 29 to oust the head of state, but failed to produce the required minimum 50-percent voter turnout. Basescu and his main supporter, the Democrat Liberal Party, called for a boycott of the referendum.