International newspapers react: reforms are pending as the Left wins

This year’s Romanian Parliamentary elections are covered by most international newspapers on Monday: International Herald Tribune reads that Romanians had to cast a vote in the shadow of the financial crisis, adding that these Parliamentary elections will determine both the answer to the global financial crisis and the faith of the judicial reforms that stagnated since the country joined the Union.

Washington Post reads that as the Left party secures most votes, reforms are pending in Romania. The newspaper adds that anti-corruption measures will diminish if the Social Democrats get the government.

The French daily Le Figaro reads that the anti-corruption fight is a dead figure in Romania as political leaders accused of corruption are set free of any charges due to judicial maneuvers, quoting the case of former Social Democrat PM Adrian Nastase. His name is also quoted in the Liberation, that reads that people forgot all about corruption accusations in these elections.

The Spanish publication, El Mundo reads that the results of the Parliamentary elections in Romania reflect the concerns of the population regarding the financial crisis that affects more and more the country. However, the publication notes that none of the parties have a majority needed to form the governmnet and this is why, only the incumbent Liberal PM Calin Popescu Tariceanu holds the key to the future government.

Spanish daily ABC reads that Liberals will swing the victory in the end. Moreover the Financial Times reads that while candidates promise big spending, Romania’s economic growth diminishes significantly.

The Swiss newspaper Les Temps considers that Romanians voted in a climate of tension, as the official stand of Brussels was one of the main electoral subjects. Neue Zurcher Zeitung reads that the electoral campaign was marked by forms and not by content as there was a tacit agreement among political parties who knew they will never be able to keep their electoral promises as the economic recession gains ground.

The material was offered by Rador.