In a nail-biting presidential race, independent frontrunner Calin Georgescu has edged ahead in Romania's election, capturing 21.9% of the votes as 77% of ballots have been tallied, according to results announced late Sunday night.
Close on Georgescu's heels is Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, chairing the Social Democratic Party, with 21.3%. Elena Lasconi, leading the Save Romania Union, holds third place at 16.3%, while George Simion of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians trails with 14.5%.
However, the race isn't settled yet. Major voting regions like Bucharest, contributing 930,000 votes, and the diaspora with 820,000 votes, remain largely uncounted. These areas represent 1.7 million of the 2.8 million votes still pending and are poised to play a crucial role in determining the first-round outcome.
Exit polls suggest that Lasconi could gain significant ground in these uncounted areas, potentially narrowing her 450,000-vote deficit to Ciolacu. Should she overtake him, the anticipated runoff could pivot from a Georgescu-Ciolacu matchup to a Georgescu-Lasconi duel.
With so many votes yet to be counted, analysts warn that the final results are still too close to call. The ultimate challenger to Georgescu in the runoff will depend on how the remaining ballots from these decisive regions unfold. Romania's voters are keeping a keen eye on these final numbers, as the nation awaits the conclusive results.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
