The Romanians began to vote on Sunday, November 10 in the first round of a presidential election whose outgoing head of state, Klaus Iohannis, is widely favored, confirming the pro-European stance of this former communist country.

Thirty years after the fall of the Iron Curtain, this Liberal sexagenarian (PNL) has focused his campaign on the defense of the rule of law, threatened by the Social Democrats (PSD), whose government was overthrown by Parliament last month.

"Romanians are deciding today on the future of their country for the next few years," said Klaus Iohannis, a member of the German minority who has been in office since 2014, in front of reporters, putting his ballot paper in the ballot box. a school in Bucharest.

A ballot that could mark the end of an era

His election following the second round of November 24 could consolidate the liberal current in the east of the European Union (EU) vis-a-vis the sovereignist parties, after the successes of progressives in Slovakia and in Hungary this year.

Observers believe that the vote could mark the end of an era: for the first time since the return of multiparty politics, the PSD, heir of communism and the electoral base rather rural and elderly, is not sure to be present in the second round.

Her candidate, 55-year-old former Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, is in second place at 44-year-old Dan Barna, representing a young pro-European party (USR), according to polls.

This country of 19.7 million inhabitants is much less tinged with nationalism than Hungary or Poland. However since his return to power in 2016, the PSD has tried to muzzle justice, denounce its detractors and Brussels.

He also presented himself as the defender of Romania's interests against the Community institutions, which did not necessarily succeed him.

In early November, a Liberal government headed by Ludovic Orban was installed in Bucharest.

Elect a future

On the social networks, the Romanians mobilized to convince the population to participate massively in the ballot, like the writer Mihai Sora: "We do not just elect a man, we elect our future", wrote this respected philosopher, 103 years old.

He has become the mouthpiece of tens of thousands of protesters who have regularly taken to the streets in recent years against the "drifts" of the left and in defense of independent justice.

In the last days of the campaign, the candidates turned to the four million Romanians who emigrated and whose vote can tilt the results.

The voices of the diaspora are for the most part acquired in the liberal camp and the diplomatic network opened Friday three times more polling stations than in the previous election.

More than 300,000 emigrants had already voted Sunday morning, a record for the first round of a presidential election.

A total of 14 candidates will compete for the votes of 18.2 million voters. Polling stations opened at 7am local time (5am GMT) and will close at 9pm local time (7pm GMT). Two exit polls will be broadcast immediately.

With AFP