Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, leader of the Social Democracy Party, delivers a speech at the PSD campaign headquarters after the first exit poll for parliamentary elections was announced on Sunday. Photo by EPA-EFE
Dec. 2 (UPI) — Romania’s ruling center-left Social Democrats were poised to secure the most votes in Sunday’s parliamentary election, according to preliminary results published Monday, fending off a far-right movement that sought to oust the pro-European Union and pro-NATO government.
With 99% of polling stations reporting, the Social Democratic Party secured 22.77% of votes cast, compared to the 18.14% that the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians received, according to Central Electoral Bureau results, cited by Romania’s national Agerpres news agency.
The center-right National Liberal Party finished third with 14.43%, and the Save Romania Union fourth with 7.57%.
Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, leader of the Social Democratic Party, claimed victory.
“Today, Romanians confirmed that the PSD is the main political force in Romania,” he said in a victory speech on Sunday.
“This is an important signal that Romanians have sent to the political class. Essentially, we must continue to develop the country using European funds, while also protecting our identity, national values and faith.”
The election is the second of three rounds of voting on a new parliament and president.
Romania was thrown into political turmoil last week after relatively unknown pro-Russia nationalist candidate Calin Georgescu — who ran a successful campaign on the TikTok social media platform — finished first in the first round of the presidential election.
However, Romania’s Constitutional Court has ordered a recount, expected to be completed Monday, over allegations of potential election interference.
The political formation of the countries remains unclear.
Following Sunday’s victory, the PSD will need to form a coalition government. Meanwhile, the second round of presidential voting on Sunday will see Georgescu go against Elena Lasconi, the leader of the Save Romania Union, as neither the PSD nor the center-right PNL qualified.