Romania's Social Democrats Poised for Comeback to Power

The Social Democrat Party (PSD) is in for a big win in the general election held in Romania on Sunday, exit poll projections show.

If confirmed, the result could bring the left-wing party back into power after resigning over last year's protests.

The PSD got 45.2% of the vote, acording to the Center for Urban and Regional Sociology (CURS), quoted by AGERPRES.

Second will come the National Liberal Party (PNL), having garnered 21.8%.

The newly set up Save Romania Union (USR) are to gain 8.9%.

Other parties that will make it into Parliament are possibly the Alliance of Liberals and Decmorats of
former Prime Minister Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu (6.5%), the People's Movement Party of one-time President Traian Băsescu (6%) and the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (6%).

The results are in line with opinion polls carried in the run-up to the election.

At 21:00, turnout was 39.49%, amounting to 7.211 million votes.

If figures are confirmed, the PSD will have to look for coalition partners as it falls short of a majority to form a government.

The President retains the right to nominate a prime ministerial candidate of his choice if a parliamentary majority is not secured.

The vote was conducted under an overhauled electoral system, which brings back some of the rules used until 2008, but also cuts the number of lawmakers and boosts the representation of diaspora voters.