Romania election

Social Democrats narrowly ahead, right-wing strong

He was the big loser in the presidential elections, this time he could put the brakes on the right-wing populists: Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu.(Bild: APA/AFP/Daniel MIHAILESCU)

The ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD) is ahead in the parliamentary elections in Romania, taking 26% of the votes cast according to exit polls on Sunday evening. According to exit polls, several right-wing parties together achieved around 30 percent. Romanian political analysts declared themselves cautiously relieved by the results of the post-election polls - based on these figures, a "cordon sanitaire" around the right-wing populists is certainly possible.

The reform party USR and the Liberals (PNL) each won 15.5 percent of the votes cast. The small party SOS, led by far-right MEP Diana Sosoaca, appears to have cleared the five percent parliamentary hurdle with 5.5 percent. The minor party POT of the ultra-right candidate Calin Georgescu, who emerged victorious from the first round of the presidential election, also seems to have made it into parliament. The Union of Hungarians (UDMR) is likely to come close to the five percent mark, but in this case the final result should provide clarity.

According to political analysts, the pro-European parties will continue to hold the majority, with a three-party coalition consisting of PSD, USR and PNL or a four-party coalition (including the UDMR) being conceivable.

Important votes abroad
As they did last Sunday for the presidential election, the Romanian authorities set up a total of 950 polling stations abroad, 17 of which were in Austria - six in Vienna, two each in Salzburg, Graz and Linz and one each in Eisenstadt, St. Pölten, Bregenz, Innsbruck and Klagenfurt.

Polling station at the Romanian embassy in Berlin(Bild: APA/AFP/Anton Roland LAUB)

In the presidential election, the votes of Romanians abroad were decisive. However, the result is being heavily disputed. The Constitutional Court ordered a recount of all votes on Thursday.