This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/10/world/europe/romanians-vote-in-parliamentary-elections.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Romanians Vote in Parliamentary Elections Romanians Vote in Parliamentary Elections
(about 3 hours later)
PARIS — Romanians went to the polls on Sunday in parliamentary elections that have threatened to push the country further into political upheaval and acrimony.PARIS — Romanians went to the polls on Sunday in parliamentary elections that have threatened to push the country further into political upheaval and acrimony.
 A center-left coalition led by Prime Minister Victor Ponta is expected to win a comfortable parliamentary majority, according to the latest polls, ostensibly making him the front-runner for the premier post.  A center-left coalition led by Prime Minister Victor Ponta is expected to win a comfortable parliamentary majority, according to the latest polls, ostensibly making him the front-runner for the prime minister post.
But his political nemesis, the center-right President Traian Basescu, has the power to appoint a prime minister after the elections and he has indicated that he would not select Mr. Ponta, in part because Mr. Ponta tried to have the president impeached over the summer. But his political nemesis, the center-right President Traian Basescu, has the power to appoint a prime minister after the elections. He has indicated that he would not select Mr. Ponta, in part because Mr. Ponta tried to have him impeached over the summer.
During the campaign, Mr. Basescu called Mr. Ponta a “compulsive liar” and an “ogre” and said that appointing the man who tried to oust him would be like swallowing a pig. Mr. Ponta’s coalition, in turn, has threatened a new impeachment effort if it wins a majority and Mr. Ponta is not named premier. During the campaign, Mr. Basescu called Mr. Ponta a “compulsive liar” and an “ogre” and said that appointing the man who tried to oust him would be like swallowing a pig. Mr. Ponta’s coalition, in turn, has threatened a new impeachment effort if it wins a majority and Mr. Ponta is not named prime minister.
The result, analysts said, was likely to be a protracted political fight that could destabilize the country, undermine its struggling economy and delay a loan deal from the International Monetary Fund that Romania is hoping to negotiate. The result, analysts said, was likely to be a protracted political fight that could destabilize the country, undermine its struggling economy and delay a loan deal from the International Monetary Fund that Romania is hoping to negotiate when its current arrangement expires early next year.
In Bucharest, the Romanian capital, political commentators dubbed the election “Basescu’s revenge.”  “The most we can hope for is that it is not a long war and the parties find a compromise,” Cosmin Stan, a leading Romanian broadcaster with Realitatea Television, said. In Bucharest, the Romanian capital, political commentators called the election “Basescu’s revenge.”  
Romania, a poor Balkan country that has struggled to shed the legacy of decades of dictatorship under Nicolae Ceausescu, has undergone some of its worst political turbulence in recent memory. The country has weathered a series of unstable governments and come under criticism from the European Union and the United States. In October, the European Commission, the union’s executive body, said that concerns about corruption and fraud had prompted it to block development aid potentially worth billions of euros. All the while, the public remains deeply disillusioned amid a simmering backlash against austerity — includinga 25 percent cut in public sector wages — which many voters blame on Mr. Basescu. “The most we can hope for is that it is not a long war, and the parties find a compromise,” said Cosmin Stan, a leading Romanian broadcaster with Realitatea Television.
Mr. Ponta, at 40, the youngest premier in the European Union, has been locked in a bitter power struggle with Mr. Basescu, a 61 year-old former sea captain. The acrimony was made worse by the July impeachment vote which Mr. Basescu called a “coup d’état” and which drew sharp criticism from the European Union and the United States. Mr. Ponta had accused Mr. Basescu of overreaching his mandate by, among other things, refusing to appoint ministers chosen by the prime minister. Romania, a poor Balkan country that has struggled to shed the legacy of decades of dictatorship under Nicolae Ceausescu, has undergone some of its worst political turbulence in recent memory. The country has weathered a series of unstable governments and come under criticism from the European Union and the United States. In October, the European Commission, the union’s executive body, said that concerns about corruption and fraud had prompted it to block development aid potentially worth billions of euros. All the while, the public remains deeply disillusioned amid a simmering dissatisfaction with austerity — including a 25 percent cut in public sector wages — which many voters blame on Mr. Basescu.
Many Romanians say they are tired of the dueling leaders, and in a sign of that discontent , the populist People’s Party of Dan Diaconescu, a flamboyant television station owner who campaigned in a white Rolls-Royce and is being investigated for fraud, is expected to win up to 15 percent of the vote, according to recent polls. As part of his campaign, Mr. Diaconescu has promised 20,000 euros to every Romanian who starts a business. Mr. Ponta, at 40, the youngest prime minister in the European Union, has been locked in a bitter power struggle with Mr. Basescu, a 61-year-old former sea captain. The acrimony was made worse by the July impeachment vote which Mr. Basescu called a “coup d’état” and which drew sharp criticism from the European Union and the United States. Mr. Ponta had accused Mr. Basescu of overreaching his mandate by, among other things, refusing to appoint ministers chosen by the prime minister.
Many Romanians say they are tired of the dueling leaders, and in a sign of that discontent, the populist People’s Party of Dan Diaconescu, a flamboyant television station owner who campaigned in a white Rolls-Royce and is being investigated for fraud, is expected to win up to 15 percent of the vote, according to recent polls. As part of his campaign, Mr. Diaconescu has promised 20,000 euros to every Romanian who starts a business.
Yet it is the feud between Mr. Ponta and Mr. Basescu that has dominated the election.Yet it is the feud between Mr. Ponta and Mr. Basescu that has dominated the election.
Under the constitution, the president must name a prime minister from the party that receives a majority, in consultation with the party. Mr. Ponta is the coalition’s choice. The candidate for prime minister  then needs to be approved by the parliament, where the center-left coalition is expected to have a majority. While the constitution gives the president the prerogative to name the premier, he cannot ignore the popular vote. Under the Constitution, the president must name a prime minister from the party that receives a majority, in consultation with the party. Mr. Ponta is the coalition’s choice. The candidate for prime minister  then needs to be approved by the Parliament, where the center-left coalition is expected to have a strong majority. While the constitution gives the president the prerogative to name the prime minister, he cannot ignore the popular vote.
Mr. Basescu might try and bypass Mr. Ponta by appointing another candidate from the center-left coalition, if it wins a majority. Constitutional specialists said Mr. Basescu’s room for maneuver would be determined by size of the center-left coalition’s victory. If it wins by a large threshold — and some polls show them getting at least 55 percent of the vote — they say it will be hard to ignore their candidate.  Mr. Basescu might try and bypass Mr. Ponta by appointing another candidate from the center-left coalition, if it wins a majority. Constitutional specialists said Mr. Basescu’s room for maneuver would be determined by size of the center-left coalition’s victory. If it wins by a large threshold — and some polls show them getting as much as 57 percent of the vote — the experts say it will be hard to ignore the coalition’s candidate.
Some experts said that Mr. Basescu was banking on the fact that the constitution says the president must appoint the prime minister from the winning party -- but is unclear on whether this applies to a coalition likeMr. Ponta’s. The constitution is open to interpretation and both sides are interpreting it in their own interests.  Some experts said that Mr. Basescu was banking on the fact that the Constitution says the president must appoint the prime minister from the winning party — but is unclear on whether this applies to a coalition like Mr. Ponta’s. The Constitution is open to interpretation, and each side is interpreting it in its own interests.
Ivan Catalin, spokesman for Mr. Ponta’s coalition, the Social Liberal Union, said that if the coalition won the election and Mr. Basescu did not appoint Mr. Ponta as prime minister, he would face an impeachment vote as well as Europe-wide condemnation “We would like to think we have democracy in Romania,” Mr. Catalin said. Catalin Ivan, a spokesman for Mr. Ponta’s coalition, the Social Liberal Union, said that if the coalition won the election and Mr. Basescu did not appoint Mr. Ponta as prime minister, he would face an impeachment vote as well as Europe-wide condemnation. “We would like to think we have democracy in Romania,” Mr. Ivan said.
Cristian Pârvulescu, dean of political science at the National School of Political Studies in Bucharest, said that under the constitution Mr. Basescu was obligated to appoint a prime minister from the party that won a majority. While Mr. Basescu can reject the candidate put forward by the winner, Mr. Pârvulescu said, such a move could put him on shaky constitutional grounds. Cristian Parvulescu, the dean of political science at the National School of Political Studies and Public Administration in Bucharest, said that under the Constitution, Mr. Basescu was obligated to appoint a prime minister from the party that won a majority. While Mr. Basescu can reject the candidate put forward by the winner, Mr. Parvulescu said, such a move could put him on shaky constitutional grounds.
Laura Stefan, a legal specialist at Expert Forum, an independent research institute in Bucharest, argued that it was Mr. Ponta’s political immaturity that had plunged Romania into crisis and that Mr. Basescu was within his legal right to choose someone more qualified. She noted that two failed attempts to form a government within 60 days of Mr. Basescu first nominating a candidate would trigger early elections.Laura Stefan, a legal specialist at Expert Forum, an independent research institute in Bucharest, argued that it was Mr. Ponta’s political immaturity that had plunged Romania into crisis and that Mr. Basescu was within his legal right to choose someone more qualified. She noted that two failed attempts to form a government within 60 days of Mr. Basescu first nominating a candidate would trigger early elections.
“It is clear that Mr. Basescu doesn’t like or trust Mr. Ponta, and so we are entering a period of uncertainty,” Ms. Stefan said. “But I don’t think anyone wants more political upheaval or early elections and my prediction is there will be a hard-fought compromise.” “It is clear that Mr. Basescu doesn’t like or trust Mr. Ponta, and so we are entering a period of uncertainty,” Ms. Stefan said. “But I don’t think anyone wants more political upheaval or early elections, and my prediction is there will be a hard-fought compromise.”
In the crowded cafes of Bucharest, many Romanians said they were deeply disillusioned. Maria Ghitu, a 34-year-old hair stylist waiting to vote in Piata Muncii, a  working class neighborhood, said she was fed up with politicians. “They are the same,” she said. “They only think of themselves while the economy plunges and we suffer.” In the crowded cafes of Bucharest, many Romanians said they were deeply disillusioned. Maria Ghitu, a 34-year-old hair stylist waiting to vote in Piata Muncii, a working class neighborhood, said she was fed up with politicians. “They are the same,” she said. “They only think of themselves while the economy plunges and we suffer.”
Analysts said that the poisonous atmosphere in Romanian politics showed little sign of abating given that whomever became prime minister would have to try and work with Mr. Basescu, whose mandate ends in 2014. “We are in for a long political struggle,” Mr. Stan said. Analysts said that the poisonous atmosphere in Romanian politics showed little sign of abating given that whoever became prime minister would have to try and work with Mr. Basescu, whose mandate ends in 2014. “We are in for a long political struggle,” Mr. Stan said.

George Calin in Bucharest contributed reporting.

George Calin contributed reporting from Bucharest, Romania.

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:
Correction: December 9, 2012

An earlier version of this article misstated the name of a spokesman for the Social Liberal Union. He is Catalin Ivan, not Ivan Catalin.