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BUCHAREST - Romanians rejected today a move by parliament to impeach reformist President Traian Basescu in a referendum which gives the suspended president a mandate to revive his anti-corruption drive.
Two exit polls released after voting ended at 8 pm (1700 GMT) showed between 75 and 78 per cent voted "no" to plans to impeach Basescu.
Exact turnout figures were not available but were likely to be just below 50 per cent, slightly lower than in the 2004 presidential election. Official results are due on Sunday.
Parliament suspended Basescu as president last month and called the referendum on the grounds he had overstepped his authority and pushed the European Union newcomer into a political deadlock.
His opponents have also accused Basescu of using the secret services to discredit them.
No proof of this has emerged, while many Romanians see the ex-sea captain as an anti-corruption crusader and a symbol of their long-frustrated goal of rejoining the European mainstream.
Soon after the voting ended, thousands of Romanians gathered at Bucharest's University Square to celebrate and demand that Basescu's opponent, Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu, step down.
"Down with Tariceanu, down with Tariceanu," they chanted.
Basescu has long called on his erstwhile ally to resign and call early elections. He argues the government has reneged on pledges to continue reforms and aligned itself with "oligarchs" who enriched themselves during transition from communism.
He did not wait long to renew pressure, telling his cheering supporters the Liberal prime minister and his Social Democrat allies better heed "people power".
"I assure you I will do everything possible to ensure parliament respects your vote today," he said. "Romania owned by oligarchs is a Romania nobody wants anymore."
He said he wanted parliament to back his anti-sleaze drive and seek a reform of the electoral system to make politicians more directly accountable to their voters.
Tariceanu signalled he accepted the verdict, although analysts predicted that he would try to cling on to power by
accommodating Basescu.
"Romanians gave a second chance to Traian Basescu," he told a news conference. "I respect this decision and I will act accordingly in a spirit of cooperation."
Endemic corruption
Basescu has accused Tariceanu of shielding a network of corrupt politicians and businessmen they both promised to tackle when they joined forces in 2004 elections to remove the then ruling Social Democrats, former communists, from power.
Tariceanu denies the charges and says Basescu has an autocratic style and an insatiable "thirst for power".
Corruption is endemic in the ex-communist Black Sea nation, which joined the EU in January on the premise it would continue judicial reforms needed to root out graft.
Instead, reforms have faltered and Basescu's allies in government, like respected Justice Minister Monica Macovei and Interior Minister Vasile Blaga, have been sacked by Tariceanu.
Other judicial reforms have been watered down and corruption trials of prominent politicians suspended, raising alarm bells in the EU.
Diplomats say the European Commission is set to admonish the government in its June progress report, with some saying Romania risks sanctions that could cut aid from the bloc.
"We would hope this vote gives a signal that the Romanian people want to make a stand against corruption," an EU diplomat told Reuters.
- REUTERS
