Romania's opposition Social Democrat party says Sunday's presidential election was rigged and plans to contest the result. Official results showed incumbent President Traian Basescu with a winning margin of less than 1%. Earlier, exit polls had predicted victory for his Social Democrat rival, former Foreign Minister Mircea Geoana. Both candidates had claimed victory on Sunday night in what correspondents describe as a bitter contest. "We have proof of fraud," Social Democrat vice-president Liviu Dragnea was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency.
Official results showed incumbent President Traian Basescu with a winning margin of less than 1%.
Earlier, exit polls had predicted victory for his Social Democrat rival, former Foreign Minister Mircea Geoana.
Both candidates had claimed victory on Sunday night in what correspondents describe as a bitter contest.
"We have proof of fraud," Social Democrat vice-president Liviu Dragnea was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency.
Moldova's new Western-leaning coalition made an unsuccessful attempt today (7 December) to get its candidate elected as president by parliament and end months of deadlock. The troubled country now heads for early parliamentary elections. Moldovan Communist Party lawmakers walked out of parliament in Chisinau while a crucial vote to elect a new president was held. Marian Lupu, the candidate of the Alliance for European Integration, obtained only 53 votes, short of the 61 needed to have him elected as head of state. By leaving parliament, the Communist lawmakers, marshalled by former President Vladimir Voronin, repeated a strategy they had already used on 10 November, preventing communist dissidents from voting for Lupu. According to Moldova's constitution, after two failed attempts to elect a president the country now heads for early parliamentary elections.
Moldovan Communist Party lawmakers walked out of parliament in Chisinau while a crucial vote to elect a new president was held. Marian Lupu, the candidate of the Alliance for European Integration, obtained only 53 votes, short of the 61 needed to have him elected as head of state.
By leaving parliament, the Communist lawmakers, marshalled by former President Vladimir Voronin, repeated a strategy they had already used on 10 November, preventing communist dissidents from voting for Lupu. According to Moldova's constitution, after two failed attempts to elect a president the country now heads for early parliamentary elections.
