Romania's Basescu retains slight lead in presidential election
24/11/2009
BUCHAREST, Romania -- Incumbent Traian Basescu of the Liberal Democratic Party won the first round of the presidential elections with a very narrow lead, according to a sample of 99.81% of polling stations, published by the Central Electoral Bureau on Monday (November 23rd). Basescu won 32.4% of the vote, edging out Mircea Geoana of the Social Democratic Party, who got 31.1%. Crin Antonescu of the National Liberal Party (PNL) was third with 20%. Bringing up the rear was Corneliu Vadim Tudor of the Greater Romanian Party, with 5.5%. Basescu and Geoana will advance to a run-off on December 6th. Opinion polls suggest Basescu will lose, as the PNL announced on Monday that it will support Geoana. (Evenimentul Zilei, Romania Libera - 24/11/09; Mediafax - 23/11/09)