A Romanian government minister has resigned after receiving a one-year suspended prison sentence for fraud in a referendum to impeach Romania's former president.
The High Court of Cassation and Justice on May 15 convicted Liviu Dragnea of election fraud by inflating voter numbers at a July 2012 referendum to impeach former President Traian Basescu.
It failed because of low turnout.
Dragnea, who says he is innocent, resigned as minister of regional development after the sentencing and said he would also step down as executive chairman of the ruling Social Democratic Party.
The court ruling is not final.
Two other people were also handed two-year prison sentences and 20 people were acquitted.