Romanian local election, 2008

Local elections were held in Romania on June 1 2008, with a runoff for mayors on June 15 2008. [ [http://www.guv.ro/presa/afis-doc.php?idpresa=59694&idrubricapresa=1&idrubricaprimm=&idtema=&tip=1&pag=&dr= the Government's Press Release] ]

On June 1 where elected:
* all the villages, communes, cities, and municipal cluncils (Local Councils, _ro. Consilii Locale), and the Sectors Local Councils of Bucharest ( _ro. Consilii Locale de Sector)
* the 41 County Councils ( _ro. Consilii Judeţene), and the Bucharest Municipal General Council ( _ro. Consiliul General Al Municipiului Bucureşti).
* the 41 Presidents of the County Councils ( _ro. Preşedinţii Consiliilor Judeţene)
* all the mayors ( _ro. Primarii)
** of the villages, cities, and municipalities
** of the Sectors of Bucharest ( _ro. Primarii de Sector)
** The General Mayor of The Municipality of Bucharest ( _ro. Primarul General al Municipiului Bucureşti)

On 17 April 2008, the Social Democratic Party and the Conservative Party announced they would form a political alliance for these elections. [ [http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2008/04/17/nb-04 Romania's PSD and PC form alliance (SETimes.com) ] ] For the first time the presidents of the County Councils were elected directly by the people, and not by later negotiations inside the County Council; other notable characteristics included a substantial number of Roma candidates standing, as well as some representatives of the Romanian Orthodox Church. [ [http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2008/06/01/nb-02 Romanians vote in local elections (SETimes.com) ] ] Turnout was low, with fewer than half of the eligible voters turning out to vote; in most big cities, except for Constanţa (incumbent PSD member Radu Ştefan Mazăre won) and Cluj-Napoca (incumbent Democratic Liberal Party member Emil Boc won), the election was not decided in the first round; in Bucharest, PDL member Vasile Blaga and independent Sorin Oprescu (former member of the PSD) will meet in the run-off. [ [http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2008/06/02/nb-01 Low turnout in Romania's local elections (SETimes.com) ] ]

Overall, both PD-L got 28.37%, PSD got 28.04%, PNL got 18.66%, and UDMR got 5,43% of the vote. [ [http://www.adevarul.ro/articole/realesii/354228 Adevarul ] ] [ [http://www.beclocale2008.ro Biroul Electoral Central | PRIMA PAGINA |- Alegeri pentru autoritatile administratiei publice locale iunie 2008 ] ]

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thumb|left|400px|The results for the Mayors">
legend|#d5d5d5|Independent

First round

Mayors

thumb|left|225px|The distribution of the mayor seats after the first round">
legend|#d5d5d5|To be decided in the runoff

The most notables victories ("TOP 10") are presented bellow:

Local Councils

[
[http://www.adevarul.ro/articole/alegeri-2008-rezultate-finale/356424 Adevârul newspaper] ]
legend|gray|other parties/Independent]

County Council Presidents

[

legend|#a207b0|Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania]

[

legend|#a207b0|Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania]

County Councils [ [http://www.beclocale2008.ro/documm/Consilieri%20Judeteni/Alesii/cjalesijud.pdf Official results] ]

legend|gray|other parties

legend|gray|other parties/Independent

Runoff

legend|gray|other parties/Independent

The mayoral runoff was held in 1,441 local constituencies. Also, in the communes of Ştefăneşti and Vidra, in Ilfov County the first tour was repeated, due to the cancellation of the election held on 1 June in the two communes. If a runoff is needed for the mayor's election, it will be held on 24 June. A sentence regarding the cancellation of the electoral process in the commune of Iepureşti, Giurgiu is pending from the Central Electoral Bureau.

The independent and former PSD member Oprescu won the election for Bucarest's mayor with 54% against Blaga from the president's PD-L. [ [http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-06/16/content_8377989.htm Exit poll shows leftist candidate to become mayor of Bucharest_English_Xinhua ] ] Overall, PSD won about a third of the mayors, while PD-L won slightly less. [ [http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/news/11032/ BalkanInsight.com - Independent Mayor for Romanian Capital ] ]

In Voineşti, a tiny town in northeastern Romania, the incumbent PSD mayor Neculai Ivaşcu, who died on the election day, was nonetheless elected over his rival, Gheorghe Dobreanu of the PNL; however, the election commission declared the runner-up elected, but PSD said they would appeal that decision. [ [http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hgfE-X2LvbXVEq2LuQ2cID_NkEYQ AFP: Dead Romanian wins mayoral vote ] ] [ [http://english.hotnews.ro/stiri-top_news-3277295-candidate-defeated-voinesti-romania-become-mayor-after-rival-died-local-elections-day.htm Candidate defeated in Voinesti, Romania to become mayor after rival died on local elections day - Top News - HotNews.ro ] ]

References