Romanian opposition-dominated parliament Thursday approved by a vote of 322 to 108 with 10 abstentions to suspend President Traian Basescu from office on grounds that he abused his powers.

According to the law, parliament can suspend the president for 30 days and organize a referendum to impeach him from office.

More than half of voting age Romanians would have to approve a referendum for it to pass, which would be virtually impossible, given Basesu's popularity and the usually low turnout in Romanian ballots.

Lawmakers have accused the president of 19 instances of constitutional abuse such as trying to usurp control of the Cabinet from the prime minister, criticizing judges and ordering the tapping of minister's telephone calls.

The Constitutional Court, however, ruled there was no evidence to back the charges and dismissed the lawmakers' accusations.

Basescu has denied any wrongdoing and had vowed to resign immediately and run for a new term in the event that parliament voted to suspend him.

"It's a bad solution for a bad situation," said Deputies' Chamber speaker Bogdan Olteanu, adding that Basescu should be impeached because he fueled political conflicts that threatened Romania's development.

According to the law, the chairman of the Senate, Nicolae Vacaroiu, is to assume the president's duties during his suspension, or until a new election can be held if Basescu resigns or is impeached in a referendum. Vacaroiu, who was a technocratic prime minister from 1992-96, belongs to the opposition Social Democratic Party, which also governed the country from 2000-04.

Dozens of Basescu supporters gathered in the capital, with the president expected to join the rally later.

Basescu is Romania's most popular politician and polls indicate he would win a new term in office in the event that new elections are held.

Also on Thursday, Prime Minister Calin Popescu-Tariceanu said that the campaign for Romania's presidential election will start in two months' time.

Tariceanu urged President Traian Basescu and all other potential presidential candidates to observe the law and refrain from starting their campaign now.

(China Daily via agencies April 20, 2007)