Romania’s centre right Democrat-Liberals won parliamentary elections

The official results from Romania’s elections have given the centre-right Democrat Liberal (PD-L) party a thin margin lead over their Social Democrat (PSD) rivals, overturning exit polls that had forecast a resounding win for the Left, last Sunday.

As expected PD-L, PSD+PC, the national Liberal Party (PNL), and the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) will be part of the future Parliament, as being the only parties that beat the electoral 5 percent threshold.

The Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) has announced that, according to the data centralized from all of the voting centers, the Democrat-Liberals (PD-L) won 115 seats in the Lower Chamber, while the PSD+PC alliance received 114 seats, the National Liberals (PNL) won 65 seats and UDMR 22 seats.

In the Senate, PD-L managed to get 51 seats, with PSD+PC coming second with 49 seats. PNL won 28 senators, while UDMR has but 9 seats.

The initiative now passes to Traian Basescu, the president, who must invite a party to form a government. Alina Mungiu, director of the Romanian Academic Society, a think-tank, said: “It’s always been more likely that the Democrat Liberals will form a government, because the president prefers them.” Mr Basescu was a senior figure in the Democrat Liberals’ predecessor party before ascending to the presidency four years ago.

With no party likely to achieve an overall majority, a coalition government is a certainty. The National Liberals, who came third, are regarded as potential coalition partners for either of the two leading parties. Until two years ago, they governed in coalition with the PD-L, and have subsequently run a minority government with ad hoc support from the PSD.

”The PD-L will first try for a coalition with the Liberals, but if their price is too high, then a grand coalition with the PSD is a possibility,” Ms Mungiu said.

Sebastian Lazaroiu: We will rather have a 2-year Government instead of a 4-year one

Presidential adviser Sebastian Lazaroiu stated that it is possible for early elections to be held two years after the start of the new Government’s term, arguing that in the first two years the parties will close ranks in order to overcome the crisis, with their competition set to restart after that period.

‘We might have a two-year Government instead of a four-year one. But it is hard to anticipate at this time,’ the Presidential advisor answered when asked if the new Government will resist throughout its current term, set to expire in 2012, or if he foresees early elections.

All parties have promised a combination of public-sector pay rises tax cuts and infrastructural spending as a means of economic stimulus. But with growth set to plummet to as low as 3 to 4.5 per cent next year from its current level of 7.5 per cent, and the budget deficit forecast to widen from this year’s level of 2.4 per cent over the next two years, the next government will have little leeway on spending. Already, analysts are warning that Romania may have to follow its neighbours Hungary and Ukraine in turning to the International Monetary Fund for help financing its $75bn external debt.