Romania - Court Raises Bar for Impeachment Vote - NYTimes.com The Constitutional Court said Tuesday that a majority of the electorate must vote in order for a referendum on ousting the president to be valid, a ruling that may make it harder for President Traian Basescu's opponents to push him out. Parliament voted Friday to impeach Mr. Basescu, accusing him of meddling in affairs that are the province of the prime minister, trying to influence judicial affairs and making bigoted remarks about Gypsies and disabled people. The impeachment was upheld by the Constitutional Court on Monday, setting the stage for a July 29 referendum on whether Mr. Basescu should be removed from office. The court's ruling on Tuesday is likely to help Mr. Basescu, because a 50 percent turnout of the electorate is by no means a certainty. Mr. Basescu has denied any wrongdoing, saying that he may be outspoken but that he has not committed "grave violations" of the Constitution. The impeachment vote and other actions by Parliament, led by Prime Minister Victor Ponta, have drawn international criticism that Mr. Ponta was trying to usurp power.