POLITICS

Last Sunday's local elections in Romania haven't passed unnoticed in the international press. The scrutiny is depicted as a means to measure the popularity of political parties in relation to the general elections due next autumn.

According to Reuters, for instance, a good score of the Romanian Liberals in power or of the groups in the opposition would provide the latter with ammunition to negotiate on arrangements concerning a coalition to be made after the national elections. The source anticipates several partnership possibilities, mentioning that no party seems to be enjoying enough public support to govern all alone and that the minority Tariceanu Cabinet is struggling to resists in opinion polls. The report comments that after the elections due in autumn Calin Popescu Tariceanu's Liberals may be trying to rebuild the coalition with Traian Basescu's group, now bearing the new name of the Democrat-Liberal Party, likely to get 40% of votes, according to pollsters, given the President's popularity. The agency mentions other opinions too, claiming that after the general elections the Liberal Party may proceed to a coalition agreement with the ex-Communists in the Social-Democrat Party, which is taking efforts to resist in polls and which has been tacitly supporting the Parliament.

Associated Press: No enthusiasm from the electorate

According to the Associated Press cited by International Herald Tribune, the results of this latest scrutiny in Romania may be taken for an indicator of what may follow after the parliamentary elections due late this year. The report outlines that the Romanian electorate proved no enthusiasm at all, also pointing to accusations of electoral fraud and some flaws such as small gifts from candidates or some party representatives to electors, although forbidden in the election day. (...) (A.M.L.)

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