Romanians choose between a prime minister and a city mayor in presidential runoffBucharest, 16 November 2014 (MIA) - A prime minister who has promised stability and a city mayor who has vowed to fight corruption squared off in Romania's presidential runoff election on Sunday.
Tens of thousands of Romanians living overseas hope it will be easier for them to cast ballots than it was during the Nov. 2 election that led to the runoff, AP reports.
Prime Minister Victor Ponta was favored on Sunday over the mayor of the city of Sibiu, Klaus Iohannis. Ponta led by 10 percentage points in the Nov. 2 vote, and corruption probes of senior Ponta aides appeared not to have dented the 42-year-old former prosecutor's chances.
Iohannis, 55, has promised an independent justice system if he becomes president.
Election results are expected Monday, and the winner will replace President Traian Basescu, who is stepping down after 10 years in office.
In Romania, the president is in charge of foreign policy and defense, and names key prosecutors and the chiefs of intelligence services.
After casting his ballot in Bucharest on Sunday, Ponta said: "I voted so that all mothers and our grandparents can live in a better country. ... I voted so that all children have a better future here in Romania."
Romanians living overseas must vote at polling stations in the countries where they are living, and thousands of expats protested after they had to stand in line for hours in cities such as Paris, London, Munich during the first round. Some were unable to vote.
The government says it has improved the voting procedure this time at facilities such as Romanian embassies.
Many expats are believed to oppose Romania's center-left government.
|