The partial official results announced by the Romanian Central Electoral Bureau after the counting of the votes in 99.2% of the voting stations, and quoted by Digi24, indicate the ruling coalition formed by Social Democrats (PSD, S&D) and Liberals (PNL, EPP) received 48.70% of the votes – 4.3 percentage points less compared to 53% indicated by the exit poll. The score is in the upper region of the area of expectations, compared to the bright and slightly unexpectedly high score indicated by the exit poll.

Based on the partial official results, the PSD-PNL alliance would be assigned 19 MEP seats (out of Romania’s total of 33 seats), according to Euronews Romania.

The Alliance of United Romanians (AUR, presumably ECR) got 14.95% of the votes, in line with expectations, according to the partial official results (15% in exit polls), and will be assigned six seats in the European Parliament.

The United Right Alliance (ADU), formed by the reformist USR and its partners, dropped to a disappointing 8.61% score in the partial official results from 11% predicted by the exit poll (already below expectations). It will be assigned only 3 MEP seats, accordingly.

ADU’s disappointing performance – roughly half of that scored by AUR – prompted an internal crisis within the USR party and its president Catalin Drula resigned. The mayor of Timisoara, Dominic Fritz, who was voted for another term, is being circulated as a possible successor. Elena Lasconi, who also confirmed her position of Campulung Mayor for another term, asked for a broader renewal of the party’s leadership – which took her out from the lists for the EP after a conflict prompted by her alleged conservative position expressed in an interview.

With scores of 6.53% and 5.03%, respectively, the Hungarian party UDMR and the radical party SOS Romania (of Diana Sosoaca) would be assigned 2 MEP seats each.

SOS Romania thus got a surprisingly high score for a party that hardly exists, being formed by vocal MP Diana Sosoaca and a couple of collaborators.

Nicu Stefanuta is the only independent candidate who met the 3% threshold (3.05%) required to get a MEP seat. In March 2023, he left the USR party and the Renew Europe parliamentary group for the Greens–European Free Alliance as an independent MEP.

iulian@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/Alexandru Busca)