Romania announces local election results

Romania's Central Electoral Bureau announced late on Friday the results of the local elections held June 1, widely regarded as a litmus test of parliamentary elections later this year. During the local elections, voters chose thousands of county council members and town mayors. In the county council elections, the pro-president Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) won 425 seats nationwide, while the main opposition Social Democratic Party (PSD) gained the same number of seats. The ruling National Liberal Party (PNL) obtained 279 seats. The PNL, led by Prime Minister Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, is running against the centrist PDL, supported by President Traian Basescu, and against the leftist PSD led by former President Ion Iliescu. Since Romania joined the European Union on Jan. 1, 2007, President Basescu and Prime Minister Tariceanu... [read full story]