Romanians elect president

Romanians all over the world are expected today at the voting booth to elect the next president of Romania and take part in a referendum proposing a single-chamber parliament and a cut in the number of parliamentarians, Info-Prim Neo reports. Romania opened 294 polling stations abroad, including 13 in Moldova, which will stay open until 21:00. Four of them are located inside the embassy and consulate in Chisinau, and the remaining nine in Cahul, Giurgiulesti, Causeni, Nisporeni, Orhei, Anenii Noi, Ungheni, Balti and Soroca. Formerly the Romanian citizens residing in Moldova were able to cast votes only in Chisinau. All the Romanian citizens who are abroad, including tourists, are able to vote. For the 2009 poll, the number of overseas polling stations has been more than doubled, from 142 (2004) to 294. 12 candidates run for the seat of Romania's president: Traian Basescu, president from 2004 to 2009, candidate of the Democratic-Liberal Party; Crin Antonescu, president of the National Liberal Party, member of parliament; Mircea Geoana, chairman of the Senate, the leader of the Social-Democratic Party; Sorin Oprescu, unaffiliated candidate, mayor of Bucharest; Gigi Becali, MEP, president of the Christian Democratic “New Generation” Party; Corneliu Vadim Tudor, MEP, president of the Greater Romania Party; Ovidiu Iane, president of the Environmental Party; Constantin Ninel Potirca, unaffiliated candidate; Constantin Rotaru, president of the Socialist Alliance Party; Remus Cernea, executive president of the Green Party; Gh. Eduard Manole, unaffiliated candidate, founder of the National Dignity Party; and Hunor Kelemen, member of parliament, president of the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania. The potential run-off round is scheduled for December 6. Voters will also be asked to answer the referendum's questions, if they agree to the transition from a bicameral to a unicameral parliament, and if they agree to the reduction of the number of parliamentarians from 471 to 300.