Romanians vote for next president

Millions of Romanians are voting in a run-off election that will determine their country’s next president.

Balloting in the decisive round of the elections began at 7am (0500 GMT) on Sunday, and is due to close at 9pm (1900 GMT).

Traian Basescu, the incumbent, captured 32.44 per cent of the vote in the first round of elections on November 22. He runs against Mircea Geoana, who secured 31.15 per cent of the vote in the first round.

A total of 12 candidates entered the race for the state's top position.

Basescu is endorsed by the ruling Democratic-Liberal Party (PDL) while Geoana is supported by the Social Democratic Party-Conservative Party Alliance (PSD), as well as the National Liberal Party and the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania.

Polls conducted this week by the Insomar Institute predicted Geoana would take 54 per cent of the votes, but Cristian Parvulescu, a political analyst, said: "It is still a bit early to say the race is over".

Shrinking economy

Both men claim they have the solutions to lift Romania out of recession, form a government, eradicate corruption and restore public trust. However, neither candate has given figures on their economic plan for the country,

Romania's budget deficit is set to hit 7.3 per cent of GDP by the end of 2009.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF), the EU and the World Bank agreed in march to provide a $30bn loan to the country to help ease its economic crisis.

However, the IMF and the EU withheld payments in November following the collapse of the ruling coalition between Basescu's PDL and Geoana's PSD.

An interim administration has ruled Romania since the coalition fell apart, meaning that the winner on Sunday's poll will have to appoint a new prime minister.

While some analysts fear more futile political squabbling if Basescu wins, others say that Geoana's will not be able to control certain PSD members suspected of corruption.

The election campaign has been marked by below-the-belt blows from both sides: Basescu notably came under fire from opponents after the release of a video apparently showing him slap a ten-year-old boy, footage he said was faked.

Cristian Tudor Popescu, a columnist for the Gandul daily newspaper, said: "Reason won't get to vote on Sunday.

"Most of the choices will be emotional ones. People will say either 'I can't stand Basescu any more' or 'I can't bring myself to vote for Geoana'," Popescu said.

"Many Romanians are in despair that they can't vote with any conviction for either candidate. They feel like all they can do is try to stop the worse of the pair."