The parliamentary vote comes amid a political crisis sparked by last Sunday’s unexpected victory by Călin Georgescu, an ultranationalist, Russia-admiring independent candidate for president.
In a potential signal of how the second presidential round could go, the far-right momentum that boosted Georgescu was also visible in the parliamentary vote. In addition to AUR, two other far-right parties, S.O.S. Romania and the Party of Young People, each got 5.5 percent support, just above the threshold to obtain seats in parliament, according to the exit poll, which was conducted by the CURS agency.
The reformist Union to Save Romania (USR) and the center-right National Liberal Party (PNL) are each expected to receive 15.5 percent of the votes.
USR is the party of Elena Lasconi, the liberal leader currently set to face off against Georgescu in the race for the presidency next Sunday.
To govern, PSD will have to form a coalition that might include PNL, its current governing partner. It could also have to turn to Lasconi’s USR, but that would place her in a difficult bind as she does npt wnat to associate herself with the distrusted old majority parties.
Ciolacu hailed the strong showing by his party as a sign the country could keep on the pro-EU track: “It’s an important signal Romanians sent to the political class: To continue developing the country with European money, but at the same time to protect our identity, national values and faith.”
