Ukraine's newly-elected President Viktor Yanukovych has won his first victory in Parliament forcing out his rival, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
The Ukrainian Parliament on Wednesday passed a no-confidence motion sending the Prime Minister and her Cabinet packing. Mr. Yanukovych's Party of the Regions, which controls only 172 seats in the 450-seat Parliament, mustered the backing of 243 deputies for the no-confidence vote as the majority “orange” coalition comprising supporters of Ms. Tymoshenko and the former President, Viktor Yushchenko, collapsed.
Mr. Yanukovych beat Ms. Tymoshenko in a presidential election runoff last month with a 3.5 per cent margin.
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To appoint a Prime Minister of his choice, Mr. Yanukovych has to build up a new majority coalition. If he fails, the country will face snap parliamentary elections.