Bucharest, Nov 24, (dpa/GNA) – Romanian voters head to the polls on Sunday to vote for a new president.
Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), is the favourite to win the first round, but the race is tight.
None of the 14 candidates are expected to achieve an absolute majority, so a run-off vote will likely be necessary on December 8.
In one of the possible pairings for a run-off, Ciolacu would face George Simion of the far-right AUR party. Some polls put Simion in second place in the first round.
Other surveys, however, see the candidate of the liberal-conservative reform party USR, Elena Lasconi, and Nicolae Ciuca of the currently co-governing party PNL as having an equal chance of finishing second.
The president determines the EU country’s foreign and security policy, is commander-in-chief of the army, and is involved in the checks on the secret services.
Klaus Iohannis has been president for 10 years and cannot run again.
Polling stations open at 6 am (0500 GMT) and close at 8 pm. Initial forecasts are expected late Sunday evening.
GNA