PM tipped as Romanians vote for president
Print Edition
A PRIME minister who has promised stability and a city mayor who has vowed to fight corruption squared off in Romania’s presidential runoff vote yesterday.
Tens of thousands of Romanians living overseas hope it will be easier for them to cast ballots than it was during the November 2 election that led to the runoff.
Prime Minister Victor Ponta was favored yesterday over the conservative mayor of the city of Sibiu, Klaus Iohannis. Social democrat Ponta led by 10 percentage points in the November 2 vote, and corruption probes of senior Ponta aides appeared not to have dented the 42-year-old former prosecutor’s chances.
Ethnic German Iohannis, 55, has promised an independent justice system if he becomes president.
Election results are expected today, and the winner will replace President Traian Basescu, who is stepping down after 10 years in office.
In Romania, the president is in charge of foreign policy and defense, and names key prosecutors and the chiefs of intelligence services.
After casting his ballot in Bucharest yesterday, Ponta said: “I voted so that all mothers and our grandparents can live in a better country. ... I voted so that all children have a better future here in Romania.”
Iohannis, who voted in Sibiu, said he wants a country where there is “respect and prosperity, a strong Romania. I hope it will be a good day for us all”.
Officials said turnout was more than 27 percent by 1pm, seven percent higher than during the November 2 election.
Romanians living overseas must vote at polling stations in the countries where they are, and thousands of expats protested after they had to stand in queue for hours in cities such as Paris, London, Munich during the first round. Some were unable to vote.
The government says it has improved the voting procedure this time at facilities such as Romanian embassies.
Yesterday, some Romanians waved toothbrushes to protest long waits at polling stations abroad and thousands protested in Munich, Germany, according to Mediafax news.
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