No less than 12 candidates will compete for the Bucharest mayor's seat in this year's local elections in Romania. The Municipal Electoral Bureau (BEM) has validated their candidacies. Only one of the candidates runs as independent while the others represent various political parties.

The Bucharest mayor manages the biggest budget in Romania's local administration. Bucharest City Hall has budgeted expenses totaling EUR 930 million for this year.

However, the position doesn't only offer a lot of power to its holder but also notoriety. One of Bucharest's former mayors, Traian Basescu, ended up President of Romania for 10 years. Sorin Oprescu, who has been running Bucharest from 2008, was suspended after being arrested for corruption in 2015. 

The candidates with the best chances to win the race for Bucharest in the June local elections are those representing the biggest local political parties: Gabriela Firea, who runs for the alliance between the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the National Union for Romania’s Progress (UNPR), and former justice minister Catalin Predoiu – National Liberal Party (PNL).

Nicusor Dan, the activist who runs for Save the Bucharest Union (USB), and journalist Robert Turcescu, representing the Popular Movement Party (PMP) run by former President Traian Basescu, are the main challengers.

The other eight candidates are backed mainly by small parties and their chances to succeed are rather slim, considering that the mayor will be elected in just one round.

The other candidates are: former culture minister Daniel Barbu, representing former Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu's Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), Bogdan Diaconu from the United Romania Party (PRU), Iulia Gorea-Costin - Christian Democratic National Peasants' Party (PNTCD), Mirel Amaritei – ProDemo, Niculae Neamtu – the Republican Party, Petrica Dima – Romanian Socialist Party (PSR), Adrian Severin – Social Justice Party (PDS), and Catalin Berenghi as independent.

BEM also validated 588 candidacies for Bucharest's General Council, reports local Agerpres. The council has 55 seats.

The electoral campaign for the local elections starts on Friday, May 6, and will end on June 4. The elections will take place on June 5, between 07:00 and 21:00.

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Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com