President suggests no-confidence vote in Romanian crisis

In a move to end the political crisis in Romania, the country's president, Emil Constantinescu, has proposed that the government of the embattled prime minister, Victor Ciorbea, faces a vote of confidence in parliament next Wednesday.

Mr Constantinescu demanded an end to what he called medieval intrigues; he said that if the government's economic reform programme survives a parliamentary vote, the government should be considered authorised to continue.

The crisis broke when one of the governing coalition partners, the Social Democrats, withdrew its support.

The political uncertainty has already resulted in the postponement of a visit by a delegation from the International Monetary Fund.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service