Romanians are voting in the parliamentary elections as they have high hopes of winning | News

The parliamentary election comes a week after the candidate who received the most votes in the first round of the presidential election.

Romanians voted in parliamentary elections a week after the first round of the presidential election in which right-wing candidate Calin Georgescu came out on top.

Sunday's vote will appoint a new government and prime minister and determine the composition of the country's legislature, which includes the 323-seat Parliament and the Senate (133 seats). Romanians will elect lawmakers to both chambers on Sunday. Foreigners have been able to vote since Saturday.

The ruling coalition of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the National Liberal Party (PNL) are competing to best the far-right Unity of Romanian (AUR) Alliance.

The PSD and the PNL, which formed an unlikely alliance in 2021, dominate post-communist politics in Romania – a member of the European Union and NATO.

Georgescu, who was a member of the AUR and was Prime Minister before he ran in 2022, ran in the November 24 election, challenging the mainstream parties. He received 23% of the votes in the first round of the presidential vote.

His surprise victory last Sunday sparked allegations of campaign meddling, prompted a recount and led the loser to ask the country's highest court to rerun the first round of voting.

Confusion means parliamentary elections continue with voters unsure of the outcome of the first round of voting. They also do not know whether the presidential run-off – scheduled for December 8 between Georgescu and Elena Lasconi of the Save Romania Union, or USR – party will go ahead or be held later.

The Constitutional Court reviewed the situation on Friday but decided to postpone until Monday the decision on whether to cancel the first round.

While the role of the president in Romania includes decision-making powers in areas such as national security and foreign policy, the prime minister is the head of the country's government.

Many observers believe that the president's result reflects a major shift from Romania's mainstream parties to multi-ethnic anti-establishment groups, whose voices have found fertile ground amid high inflation, high costs of living and a sluggish economy.