What the newspapers say: June 2, 2008

All newspapers on Monday read about the results of June 1 local elections: Democrat Liberal Vasile Blaga will face independent Sorin Oprescu in the second round of elections for Bucharest mayor after they received 31.5% and 30.5%, according to an INSOMAR exit poll. One newspaper points out that turnout at these local elections reached 49.38% as compared to the turnout at the 2004 local elections, 54.23 %. Last but not least, Social Democratic leaders announce the will support any candidate who runs against Democrat Liberals.

Gandul reads that Democrat Liberal (PD-L) Vasile Blaga and independent Sorin Oprescu will face each other in the second round of elections for Bucharest Mayor after exit polls credit the two with close scores.

The INSOMAR exit poll, ordered by Realitatea TV news station credits Blaga with 31.5% and Oprescu with 30.5% while the CCSB exit poll for Antena 3 news television gives Vasile Blaga 33% while Oprescu 30%.

Moreover, the battle for Bucharest district mayors has by far reached an end as Romania Libera lists the results from both pollsters as follows:

Insomar and CCSB pollsters:

District 1

Andrei Chiliman (PNL) 38,6% 38%

Razvan Murgeanu (PD-L) 35,5% 37%

District 2

Neculai Ontanu (PSD) 52,8% 57%

Cezar Ionescu (PD-L) 22,1% 21%

District 3

Liviu Negoita (PD-L) 75,2% 84%

Doru Giugula (PSD) 10,2% 9,5%

District 4

Cristian Popescu (PC) 35,8% 35%

Radu Silaghi (PD-L) 28% 26%

District 5

Marian Vanghelie (PSD) 41,5% 40%

Sebastian Bodu (PD-L) 22,5% 27%

District 6

Cristian Poteras (PD-L) 34,2% 39%

Dan Darabont (PSD) 31,1% 28%

At national level, Romanian citizens seemed less interested in this year’s local elections than in the 2004 local elections, Evenimentul Zilei reads. As compared to 2004 when Romanians registered a 54.23% turnout, this year’s turnout is considerably low at 49.38%.

The newspaper reads however that Romanians seem to be more interested in local elections than they were at the European Parliamentary elections according to registered turnouts. Only 29.12% of citizens cast a vote in the EP elections in November 2007 as compared to 49.59% turnout this year. Nonetheless, due to the nature of vote, at local elections neither foreigners nor those out of towns can vote.

More in the news, Cotidianul reads that Social Democratic leaders like former Romanian President Ion Iliescu or former Transports minister Miron Mitrea were suspected by PSD head Mircea Geoana of sustaining now independent Sorin Oprescu, former party colleague in the detriment of PSD candidate Cristian Diaconescu.

The two informal leaders within the Social Demoratic camp have explicitly announced their support for Oprescu. In this vein, Miron Mitrea, in his capacity as campaign coordinator declared that Social Democrats were wrong in attacking former PSD member Sorin Oprescu since he is the only chance of the party to win the Bucharest mayor seat.

However, PSD head Mircea Geoana declared that there is no official decision yet, but one will be taken soon.