Romanian president survives impeachment referendum
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E-mail Xinhua, July 30, 2012
Romania's suspended President Traian Basescu survived an impeachment referendum Sunday, as the turnout is below the required minimum of 50 percent, according to the preliminary results announced early Monday by the Central Electoral Bureau.
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Traian Basescu. [File Photo] |
"On Sunday, until 23:00 local time (2100 GMT), when polls were closed, 45.92 percent of voters expressed their electoral option, according to estimates," announced the bureau.
A national referendum was held Sunday, between 7:00 to 23:00 (0500 to 2100 GMT), for ousting Basescu.
The ruling Liberal Social Union argued that the referendum will be validated, as the turnout was over 50 percent according to the parallel count conducted by the union.
The preliminary results of the Central Electoral Bureau are only estimates, made based on the centralization of votes in 2,889 polling stations, out of 18,242, said Dan Sova, Senator of the major ruling Social Democratic Party.
The "real" result will be known after completion of counting votes, stressed Liberal's Vice-Chairman Relu Fenechiu, adding that "we believe the final turnout will be about 52 percent."
Acting President Crin Antonescu said he will wait for the official results of the Sunday's referendum.
"We will wait for the official results of the Central Electoral Bureau in a democratic and civilised manner. We will wait for and we will all respect the decision of the Constitutional Court," Antonescu told a press conference at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace.
The exit polls conducted by two pollsters revealed late Sunday that the turnout is below the required minimum in the referendum to recall Basescu and the latter is likely to stay in his post.
According to the referendum law, the president is dismissed with 50 percent plus one vote of those voting and the referendum is considered valid if the turnout is 50 percent plus one citizen from the permanent electoral lists.
This is the second time that Basescu goes through an impeachment referendum, after he survived the popular consultation organized on May 19, 2007.
Basescu did not go to the polling station and late Sunday asked "all those who could have endorsed me to stay at home."
In the three-week campaign for the referendum, Basescu's main supporter the Democrat Liberal Party professed right from the start its solidarity with the suspended president, supporting him throughout the campaign.
Whereas at the earlier rallies, the watchword to the electorate was to vote against the president's ousting, and the political tune was completely changed on July 24 when the party decided to boycott the referendum in a bid to make the process invalid by an insufficient voter turnout.
On the other hand, high-profile members of the ruling Social Liberal Union called on the citizens to go to the polls.
The parliament approved on July 6 the impeachment request against the president submitted by the ruling Social Liberal Union, a ruling alliance that came to power three months ago and is made up of the Social Democratic Party, the National Liberal Party and the Conservative Party.
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