Political bickering to follow Romanian elections[fr][de] 

According to exit polls late during the night, the Social Democrats (PSD) won the elections with 36.2% of the vote, followed by the right-wing Liberal Democrats (PDL) close to President Traian Basescu with 30.5%. The National Liberals (PNL) of current Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu received 20.2% of the vote, while the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) obtained nearly 7%. 

But on the morning with 71% of the ballots counted, PNL proved to be narrowly ahead of the opposition Social Democrats. 

Mircea Geoana, leader of the Social Democrats, continued to insist that his party would win.

"Stay calm. We are seeing the results from the big cities. The results from the countryside will come later," he told reporters. PSD has strong rural support.

The far-right Greater Romania Party, which in 2000 won 20% of the ballot and became the second biggest political force in Romania, did not reach the 5% threshold required to enter parliament this time around. 

The result of the vote will be officially confirmed on 6 December. The parties will then have ten days to convene Parliament and another ten days to name a prime minister. 

Because no party won a majority, according to the country's constitution, the president has the right to veto a candidate. Basescu opposes both PSD leader Mircea Geoana and his former ally - PNL leader Calin Popescu Tariceanu - with whom he is publicly in conflict. Basescu is strongly pushing for PDL politician Teodor Stolojan to be the next prime minister. 

Analysts believe there is a 35% chance of a coalition between PSD and PNL, followed by a 30% chance of a renewed PDL-PNL coalition and a 20% chance of a PSD-PDL alliance. 

Low turnout 

Voter turnout was 39.3%, the lowest since 1989. The press criticised the authorities's decision to hold elections over a long weekend. Today is Romania's national holiday, and many voters, especially in cities, left for holidays without bothering to cast their ballots.