On December 1, 2024, Romania held parliamentary elections, with the ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD) leading in the vote count. As of the latest updates, PSD garnered approximately 24.1% of the votes after about 48% of ballots were processed. The far-right 'Alliance for the Union of Romanians' (AUR) followed with 17.9%, while the center-right National Liberal Party received 13.9%.
Exit polls had earlier indicated that PSD would secure around 26% and AUR about 19%. Experts noted that far-right parties collectively achieved around 30%, highlighting a significant shift in voter sentiment. If the final results align with exit polls, the pro-Western coalition led by PSD may gain enough seats to form a government. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu emphasized the importance of continuing Romania's European path while preserving national identity and values.
It is important to note that exit polls do not account for the votes of hundreds of thousands of Romanians living abroad, who are expected to favor far-right groups and centrist opposition. Voting overseas began the previous day and will continue for two days.
The parliamentary elections will determine representatives for a four-year term, with a 5% threshold for parties to enter parliament. A total of 31 political parties are participating in the elections.
Currently, the PSD holds a relative majority in the Romanian parliament, which is insufficient to form a single-party cabinet. The government is currently a coalition formed with the National Liberal Party.
Last week, Romania also held presidential elections, where independent candidate Călin Georgescu received 22.94% of the votes in the first round, previously associated with the nationalist AUR. Elena Lasconi from the 'Union for the Rescue of Romania' came in second with 19.17%, followed closely by the current Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu with 19.15%.
On November 28, Romania's Constitutional Court mandated the Central Electoral Bureau to recount the first-round presidential election results to eliminate allegations of fraud. Consequently, the official confirmation of the first-round results has been postponed, with a new court session scheduled for December 2.