Non-protected package depending on a protected package can not be removed

[mkoncek]

Basically the same issue as: rpm-software-management/dnf5#1614

Scenario:

Package A is a regular, not protected package. It Requires a package B. Package B is protected.
User installs package A which also installs package B.
Now the user is unable to remove the package A because the transaction would result in a removal of a protected package.

Expected result:

Upon requesting the removal of package A. Package A should be removed without any additional flags given to dnf.
Whether package B is removed is not important.

Reproducer:

$ podman run --rm -it centos:stream9
# dnf -y install java-21-openjdk
Installing dependencies:
...
 systemd-udev                                                        x86_64                             252-48.el9                                                    baseos                                2.0 M
...
# dnf -y remove java-21-openjdk
Error: 
 Problem: The operation would result in removing the following protected packages: systemd-udev
(try to add '--skip-broken' to skip uninstallable packages or '--nobest' to use not only best candidate packages)

This issue causes us problems with automated testing of our packages.

[m-blaha]

Thank you for the report. The issue is valid and there indeed is a bug in dnf preventing removal a package which is the last installed dependent of a protected package.
To get the bug resolved in Centos Stream (and RHEL), I suggest filing a RHEL bug through issues.redhat.com.