President Traian Basescu led by a slim margin in the first round of Romania's presidential election on Monday, but the close results pointed to tough talks ahead on forming a new government. Failure to form a new government rapidly could further endanger a 20-billion-euro aid package led by the International Monetary Fund and hamper efforts to move the country quickly out of recession. Partial results from 74 percent of polling stations showed centrist Basescu had 33 percent of the votes cast in Sunday's ballot. Social Democrat (PSD) leader Mircea Geoana 30 percent.
Failure to form a new government rapidly could further endanger a 20-billion-euro aid package led by the International Monetary Fund and hamper efforts to move the country quickly out of recession.
Partial results from 74 percent of polling stations showed centrist Basescu had 33 percent of the votes cast in Sunday's ballot. Social Democrat (PSD) leader Mircea Geoana 30 percent.
Traian Basescu obtained 32.43% of the votes, Mircea Geoana 31.16% and Crin Antonescu 20.02% according to the partial official results published by the Central Electoral Office on Monday, at 8PM, after counting 99.81% of the votes. The turnout was 54.32%.The other candidates and their results: Corneliu Vadim Tudor - 5,55%. Kelemen Hunor - 3,84% Sorin Oprescu - 3,18%. George Becali - 1,91%. Remus Cernea - 0,62% Constantin Rotaru - 0,45% Eduard Manole - 0,35% Ovidiu Iane - 0,23% Ninel Potarca - 0,21%
The smaller party candidates might cancel out, the one big question is whether the 20% who voted for the other liberal party's candidate will rather stay home, or vote for the clean-vested Mircea Geoană even if disliking his post-communist, post-Iliescu party; or ignore their candidate's position and vote for Băsescu. *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
