Romania's elections heading for runoff
Exit polls show Romania’s ruling party leading in parliamentary elections, but forced into a runoff in the race for president.
But the governing Social Democratic Party was falling short of gaining a parliamentary majority that would enable it to form a government by itself, the polls indicated.
The new president will lead the Balkan country at a time of implementing economic and judicial reforms aimed at gaining EU membership in 2007. He will take over from Ion Iliescu, who is stepping down after leading Romania for 11 of the 15 years since the communist dictatorship was overthrown.
Shortly after polling stations closed at 9pm (7pm Irish time) yesterday, two exit polls predicted that the Social Democratic Party would get about 40% of the vote compared with some 35% for the centrist Justice and Truth Alliance. Turnout was expected to be about 57%.
Prime Minister Adrian Nastase was leading the presidential vote with 41 or 43% in the different exit polls, while challenger Traian Basescu was in second place with about 35% in both polls.
If the polls are accurate, the results indicate there will be a presidential runoff on December 12, as no candidate would have more than 50% of all eligible voters, which is required to win outright.
Although both parties favour EU membership and orienting Romania toward the West, Nastase’s party is seen by critics as being closer to the old Communist bureaucracy and as having tolerated too much corruption in its years in power.
It grew out of the National Salvation Front grouping that was formed after the overthrow of communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989, but soon became the focus of protesters upset that so many of the new leaders – including Iliescu himself – had been associated with the old guard.
In the campaign, Nastase argued that he is nonetheless the one best suited to lead Romania into the EU, and supporters noted that under Iliescu and Nastase the country was admitted into NATO and did make some economic strides.
Nastase appeared confident the exit polls indicated victory, declaring shortly thereafter that his party will ”start negotiations for forming a new government.”
About 3,300 Romanian and 50 foreign observers monitored the election and are expected to present their conclusions on Monday.
