Romania’s governing center-left party came first in parliamentary elections enabling it to form a coalition government with pro-European parties, as the far-right surged to levels not seen since the 1930s.
Sunday’s elections were overshadowed by a chaotic first round of presidential elections on November 24. Uncertainty has continued after the Constitutional Court ordered a recount of the presidential vote with those results expected to known Monday.
Near-final election results Monday showed the ruling Democratic Party with more than 22 percent of the vote and the hard-right Alliance for Uniting Romanians (AUR) with about 18 percent.
Two other nationalist parties scored jointly about 13% of the vote in the bi-cameral Parliament.
The center right National Liberal Party won around 14% and the centrist Save Romanian Union picked up 12%.
The elections came a week after a little-known far-right firebrand, Calin Georgescu, soared to first place in the first round of the presidential elections shocking the political establishment and unnerving Romania’s Western partners.
While the parliamentary result was a relief that the NATO and EU member had not abandoned its pro-Atlantic path, the far-right parties’ massive gains will affect the country’s policies and its reputation as the most reliable partner in the region.
Acknowledging the large number of votes for Euro skeptic parties, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said:
“It’s an important alarm for the political class: we’ll develop the country with European money but we’ll protect our identity, national values and faith,” he said.
Georgescu, an unorthodox far-right candidate is scheduled to face centrist mayor Elena Lasconi in the December runoff.
But adding to the uncertainty, Romania’s Constitutional Court has controversially ordered a recount of the votes. Results will be published Monday.
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