Romanians vote in parliamentary elections on Sunday, with the governing pro-European liberals tipped to win despite criticism for their handling of the coronavirus pandemic, reports AFP.
Polling stations open at 700 am (0500 GMT) and close at 900 pm, when an exit poll will be published by the local media.
The first official results are expected later in the evening.
The vote has been organised to take in the now familiar virus safety measures of social distancing, mask-wearing and hand disinfectant.
In a region where populists and nationalists have recently gained ground, liberal Prime Minister Ludovic Orban has pledged to modernise one of the EU’s poorest countries and keep it on a “pro-European” path.
Orban has been running a minority government for the past year.
A recent opinion poll published by the IMAS institute showed his National Liberal Party (PNL) garnering 28 percent of the vote, ahead of the main opposition Social Democratic Party (PSD) at 23 percent.
The recently-formed centre-right alliance USR-Plus are forecast to win 18 percent, which would bolster
their growing influence in Romanian politics.
Both the virus and widespread disillusionment with politics are expected to weigh on turnout, which is not expected to exceed 40 percent.
