Romanian presidential election

Prime Minister Victor Ponta on Monday sent President Traian Basescu a letter asking him to participate in the European Council meeting to take place in Brussels, political sources told Agerpres.

Romania’s center-left governing coalition has won the European parliamentary elections, with around 37.5 per cent of the vote, according to first preliminary results announced on Monday by the Central Electoral Bureau.

The governing alliance is comprised of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and two minor parties. Together they should get around 16 seats in the European Parliament.

Romania’s Constitutional Court, CCR, is to decide on May 21 whether the President has the right to get engaged in the European election campaign, following government complaints about the issue.

Fears that President Traian Basescu might hold up the formation of Romania’s new government ended on Wednesday when the 17 members of the reconfigured cabinet finally took their oath in the Cotroceni palace.