Romania Romanian election results inconclusive 01/12/08 13:50 CET

The results of Romania’s elections are still too close to call, with both opposition parties running neck and neck in the count. The Democratic Liberals of Emil Boc have won about 33 percent of the vote, putting them in a strong bargaining position thanks to their strong links with President Traian Basescu. The President nominates the Prime Minister under Romanian Law and he has said he will wait until the results are validated by the electoral commission, possibly on Saturday, before announcing his choice.

The leftist Social Democrats, the latest incarnation of the communists overthrown in 1989, are also on about 33 percent, and insist they will not play second-fiddle to centrist parties in government.

However, with only about one-in-three Romanians bothering to vote, the result is hardly a ringing endoresment of any party.