George Simion, leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians party, or AUR, casts his vote in the country's parliamentary elections, in Focsani. AP
George Simion, leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians party, or AUR, casts his vote in the country's parliamentary elections, in Focsani. AP
Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu casts his vote in Buzau. AP
Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu casts his vote in Buzau. AP
USR (Save Romania Union) member and councillor at the Bucharest city hall, Naomi Reniut-Ursoiu, casts her ballot in Bucharest. EPA
USR (Save Romania Union) member and councillor at the Bucharest city hall, Naomi Reniut-Ursoiu, casts her ballot in Bucharest. EPA
Diana Iovanovici-Sosoaca, the leader of the SOS Romania party and member of the European Parliament casts her vote in Bucharest. AP
Diana Iovanovici-Sosoaca, the leader of the SOS Romania party and member of the European Parliament casts her vote in Bucharest. AP
Calin Georgescu, Romania's presidential candidate, casts his ballot. Bloomberg
Calin Georgescu, Romania's presidential candidate, casts his ballot. Bloomberg
Leader of the opposition Save Romania Union (USR) Elena Lasconi casts her vote in Campulung. Reuters
Leader of the opposition Save Romania Union (USR) Elena Lasconi casts her vote in Campulung. Reuters
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis casts his vote. Reuters
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis casts his vote. Reuters
People vote in the parliamentary election at a polling station in Buzau, Romania. AFP
People vote in the parliamentary election at a polling station in Buzau, Romania. AFP
A woman casts her vote in a station with EU flags in the country's parliamentary elections, in Baleni, Romania, Sunday, December 1. AP
A woman casts her vote in a station with EU flags in the country's parliamentary elections, in Baleni, Romania, Sunday, December 1. AP
A woman casts her vote on the day of the parliamentary elections in Joita, outside Bucharest. Reuters
A woman casts her vote on the day of the parliamentary elections in Joita, outside Bucharest. Reuters
A Romanian man exits the voting booth after stamping his ballot during the parliamentary elections at Cezar Bolliac Primary School polling station in Bucharest, Romania. EPA
A Romanian man exits the voting booth after stamping his ballot during the parliamentary elections at Cezar Bolliac Primary School polling station in Bucharest, Romania. EPA
A Romanian woman exits the voting booth after stamping her ballot during the parliamentary elections at Cezar Bolliac Primary School polling station in Bucharest. EPA
A Romanian woman exits the voting booth after stamping her ballot during the parliamentary elections at Cezar Bolliac Primary School polling station in Bucharest. EPA

News

Europe

Romanian left surges ahead of hard right in election, exit polls show

Social Democrats look set to win enough seats in Parliament to form government

Soraya Ebrahimi
Soraya Ebrahimi

December 01, 2024

  • English
  • Arabic

Early exit polls after a parliamentary election in Romania on Sunday show the country's ruling leftist Social Democrats (PSD) looking set to win the most votes, defeating a resurgent far-right movement challenging the country's pro-western stance.

Sunday's vote is the second of three consecutive ballots for a new parliament and president, with an independent far-right candidate, Calin Georgescu, emerging from relative obscurity to become the front-runner in the first round of the presidential election on November 24.

Mr Georgescu's unexpected win ushered in support for ultranationalist, hard-right parties, some with pro-Russian opinions, which political analysts said could undermine Romania's backing for Ukraine.

If the exit polls are confirmed by official results, a pro-western coalition led by the PSD would probably have enough seats in Parliament to form a government, although the far right would be a substantial force.

But the polls do not include the votes of the hundreds of thousands of Romanians working abroad, who are expected to favour far-right groupings and a centrist opposition party led by presidential runner-up Elena Lasconi.

Elena Lasconi, leader of the Save Romania Union party and presidential candidate, after the parliamentary elections, in Bucharest. Bloomberg
Elena Lasconi, leader of the Save Romania Union party and presidential candidate, after the parliamentary elections, in Bucharest. Bloomberg

A broad coalition would also be difficult to form amid disagreements over the measures needed to rein in the country's budget deficit, now the highest in the EU at 8 per cent of economic output.

"The Social Democrats will take a few days and wait to be courted," said political commentator Radu Magdin. "A coalition with centrist parties is more likely than with the hot-potato extremists. And much depends on who becomes president."

Exit polls showed the PSD winning 26 per cent of votes, ahead of the hard-right Alliance for Uniting Romanians on 19 per cent.

Social Democrat Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu came third in the presidential ballot first round after a campaign dominated by voters' concerns over the cost of living and anger at mainstream parties' infighting and corruption allegations.

Romania's Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, leader of the Social Democractic Party, casts his vote in Buzau. AFP
Romania's Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, leader of the Social Democractic Party, casts his vote in Buzau. AFP

Under Romanian rules, the president designates a prime minister, who then forms the government.

Romania's top court on Friday postponed a decision on whether to annul the first round of the presidential vote until December 2, after the shock result caused suspicions of interference in the campaign.

Romanian authorities say they have found evidence of meddling by hostile actors, and the Constitutional Court has not yet validated the results.

The court has ordered a recount of the 9.46 million votes cast in the first round while also considering the request to annul the first-round vote.

If a rerun is decided, the first round of voting in the presidential election could take place on December 15 and the run-off could be on December 29.

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While you're here
UAE currency
The smuggler

Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple. 
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.

Khouli conviction

Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.

For sale

A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.

- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico

- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000

- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950

Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
QUARTER-FINAL

Wales 20-19 France

Wales: T: Wainwright, Moriarty. Cons: Biggar (2) Pens: Biggar 2

France: T: Vahaamahina, Ollivon, Vakatawa Cons: Ntamack (2)

While you're here
Updated: December 02, 2024, 4:02 PM`
Romania