<h1>Parliamentary confidence vote imperils government over contested austerity plan, forcing leadership choices and potential elections.</h1> A parliamentary confidence vote was invoked to obtain approval for an austerity budget proposing substantial spending cuts and removal of public holidays; opposition parties across the spectrum have pledged to reject the plan, making government survival contingent on last minute negotiations. If the motion fails, the president must either appoint a consensus prime minister acceptable to a divided legislature or dissolve the assembly and call new elections, each option presenting significant political risk amid planned nationwide protests.