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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Romanian election neck-and-neck | Romanian election neck-and-neck |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Romania's opposition Liberal Democrats and Social Democrats are running neck-and-neck in general elections, partial results show. | Romania's opposition Liberal Democrats and Social Democrats are running neck-and-neck in general elections, partial results show. |
| With 93% of the vote counted, President Traian Basescu's centrist Liberal Democrats (PDL) had won about 33%. | With 93% of the vote counted, President Traian Basescu's centrist Liberal Democrats (PDL) had won about 33%. |
| The ex-communist Social Democrats (PSD) had also taken 33%, while the ruling National Liberals (PNL) polled 18%. | The ex-communist Social Democrats (PSD) had also taken 33%, while the ruling National Liberals (PNL) polled 18%. |
| Tough coalition talks are expected if these figures are confirmed, as none of the parties would have a majority. | Tough coalition talks are expected if these figures are confirmed, as none of the parties would have a majority. |
| Earlier, exit polls predicted that the Social Democrats would win the elections - the first polls since Romania joined the EU at the beginning of last year. | Earlier, exit polls predicted that the Social Democrats would win the elections - the first polls since Romania joined the EU at the beginning of last year. |
| 'Strains of governing' | 'Strains of governing' |
| Squabbles between President Traian Basescu of the PDL and Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu of the PNL wrecked their coalition in 2007. | Squabbles between President Traian Basescu of the PDL and Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu of the PNL wrecked their coalition in 2007. |
| Since then Mr Popescu Tariceanu's minority government has been tacitly supported in parliament by the PSD and an ethnic Hungarian party, which is polling about 6% of the vote in Sunday's elections. | Since then Mr Popescu Tariceanu's minority government has been tacitly supported in parliament by the PSD and an ethnic Hungarian party, which is polling about 6% of the vote in Sunday's elections. |
| President Basescu said before the polls that he would prefer a centre-right government. | President Basescu said before the polls that he would prefer a centre-right government. |
| He is not obliged by law to nominate a prime minister from the winning party. He proposes a candidate, and parliament then votes on whether to validate his choice. | |
| Some 18m voters cast votes for both chambers of the 452-strong parliament on Sunday. | Some 18m voters cast votes for both chambers of the 452-strong parliament on Sunday. |
| Officials said turnout was just under 40%. | Officials said turnout was just under 40%. |
| In the 19 years since the Romanian revolution, the left has traditionally shown more discipline while centre-right alliances have achieved dramatic election victories but have broken up under the strains of governing, BBC Eastern Europe correspondent Nick Thorpe says. | In the 19 years since the Romanian revolution, the left has traditionally shown more discipline while centre-right alliances have achieved dramatic election victories but have broken up under the strains of governing, BBC Eastern Europe correspondent Nick Thorpe says. |