For the second consecutive month, the IMAS Barometer carried at the request of Europa FM shows the National Liberal Party (PNL) four percent above the senior ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD) in the race for European Parliament elections scheduled for May 26.

Incumbent president Klaus Iohannis would win a new presidential term, with twice as many votes as Calin Popescu Tariceanu, one of his most likely rivals. Iohannis would also defeat former chief anticorruption prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi, increasingly expected to run in the presidential elections as her appointment as Chief European Prosecutor becomes uncertain.

According to the IMAS poll ran ahead of the EP elections, PNL would get 25.6% of the votes, followed by PSD with 21.7%, and the Alliance 2020 (consisting of USR and PLUS) with 16.4%, Hotnews.ro reported. The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE, 12.2%) and PRO Romania party of former prime minister Victor Ponta (11.7%) are the other major parties enjoying double-digit scores.

The survey was carried between April 12 and 25, by phone. 1,010 people aged over 18 responded. The poll standard error at 95% confidence level is 3.1 percentage points.

As for the presidential elections, if they were to take place next Sunday, the current head of state would come first with a score of 42.7%, twice as much as the next candidate, Calin Popescu Tariceanu - 18.3%.

editor@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Shutterstock)