KIEV—Ukraine's Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko survived a no-confidence vote called by the opposition in protest at her pro-Western government's handling of high inflation and other economic ills.
The motion, launched by opposition leader and former prime minister Viktor Yanukovich, received 174 votes, far short of the 226 needed to pass in the 450-member chamber.
Tymoshenko urged Ukraine's fractious parliament to back her government's reforms, including liberalising the economy and taming an inflation which hit a record year-on-year level of 31 percent last month.
"No government can function if it is on the brink of dismissal. If it has no majority, a new coalition must be formed and new leaders found for the country," she told the chamber.
Tymoshenko was allied to President Viktor Yushchenko in the 2004 "Orange Revolution" which swept him to power and was immediately appointed prime minister only to be sacked seven months later.
She became premier again last December after "orange" parties narrowly won a parliamentary election called when Yushchenko dissolved parliament.
Since returning to power, she has been repeatedly at odds with Yushchenko over a variety of issues, including inflation.
Ukraine's parliament has been largely unable to work since the beginning of the year because of repeated actions blocking debate—both by "orange" groups and their opponents.
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