The Romanian prime minister and his government have resigned. The premier, Emil Boc, said he was stepping down “to ease the social situation” and to protect the stability of the country. The move, which came on Monday, followed weeks of protests in Romania over austerity measures introduced by the government in 2010. Boc defended his record and the “difficult decisions” he had had to make. He urged politicians to move swiftly to elect a new government.