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According to this article, Romania faces a rather unusual situation - the parliamentary majority is attempting to impeach its own government:

Romania's major ruling Social Democratic Party decided Thursday to submit a censure motion against its own government to topple Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu who refuses to resign.

Under the Constitution, the only feasible means to make the prime minister to step down is a vote of no confidence in the parliament.

Yet, the Thursday move of the Social Democrats set a historical precedent in the country that the parliament[ary] majority impeaches its own government.

The article mixes the concepts of motion of (no) confidence / censure motion and impeachment. The Romanian term is literally "motion of censure" which, if successful, forces the prime minister's resignation (along with all the remaining members of the cabinet that have not yet resigned).

Quick background:

  • The current cabinet started its activity at the beginning of 2017.
  • In the middle of June 2017, parties holding the parliamentary majority withdrew political support for the Government. Most of the cabinet members resigned.
  • The Prime Minister refused to resign.
  • The parliamentary majority decided to go for a censure motion "against its own government"

Question: Is there a country in which the parliamentary majority issued a no confidence vote against its own government soon (less than 6 months) after that government was confirmed?

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  • Are you looking for historical precedent or the ability for it to happen in future?
    – SleepingGod
    Jun 20, 2017 at 15:02
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    @SleepingGod - I am looking for a historical precedent. I think the ability to happen can be found within many parliamentary systems.
    – Alexei
    Jun 20, 2017 at 15:46
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    After just having got confused in attempting an answer for this, can I confirm what you mean by parliamentary majority here?
    – origimbo
    Jun 20, 2017 at 15:53
  • @origimbo - general elections winner party and one of its satellites (50% + 1 seats in both Parliament chambers) proposed and confirmed through vote of confidence current government configuration at the beginning of the year.
    – Alexei
    Jun 20, 2017 at 16:08
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    @ohwilleke - yes, impeachment is clearly not applicable here. The Romanian legislation uses "censure motion" concept regardless of it targeting only some members of the cabinet (sometimes called a "reshuffling" when they are changed) or the prime minister (which actually means the whole cabinet, as changing the prime minister leads to a new cabinet, vote of confidence etc.)
    – Alexei
    Jun 20, 2017 at 20:04

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Although it does not fully mirror the situation you describe (the prime minister resigned by himself, it was an expected outcome when the government was formed), I think a good candidate might be the first government led by Giovanni Leone. As wikipedia says (in Italian):

  • 21 giugno 1963. Il governo guidato da Giovanni Leone presta giuramento: si tratta di un monocolore Dc, in attesa di creare le condizioni per mettere in pratica la realizzazione di un centrosinistra allargato ai socialisti. Qualche giorno dopo ottiene la fiducia della Camera
  • 5 novembre 1963. Il governo si dimette, in seguito alla riunione del consiglio della Dc che delibera la nuova linea di governo allargata a sinistra raggiungendo un accordo con i socialisti del Psi, ma anche con Psdi e Pri.

Translated:

  • 21st June 1963 The government is sworn in. It is a single party (literally "single colour") made up in the waiting of an agreement with the left wing parties. It obtained the political support of the lower chamber a few days later.
  • 5th November 1963 The government resigns following a meeting of the directorate of its party (DC) that put forward a new party line reaching an agreement with left wing parties (PSI, PSDI, PRI)

The following government was sworn in on the 5th December of the same year, meaning that this government was in charge for another month. In total it was in charge for 166 days (5 months, 13 days) if you include this last month.

There are 13 other governments that lasted even less in the history of republican Italy (i.e., after WW2), but none comes closer to the situation you describe now in Romania. Those that lasted 8-12 days (effective) were sworn in, but never supported by the parliament.

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