Although the recount of voided ballots could, in theory, overturn the election outcome, that possibility seems unlikely so far, as people close to the matter said the count found 629 valid ballots for incumbent president Traian Basescu and 552 votes for social democrat Mircea Geoana. The Central Electoral Bureau had recounted voided ballots in 27 of the country’s 40 counties by the time the count was halted.
Romania’s acting prime minister and head of the Democratic Liberal Party, Emil Boc, said he is confident the final null vote recount will confirm Basescu’s reelection and dismissed social democrats’ calls for graphology tests on affidavits in special polling stations as attempts to clear the party’s smeared image after it lots the election.
Romania’s Constitutional Court Friday ordered a recount of null votes following the Social Democratic Party’s claim that the election was tainted by fraud, after their candidate Geoana lost the vote to incumbent Basescu at a difference of some 70,000 ballots.
Nearly 140,000 ballots were voided in Sunday’s election and the Central Electoral Bureau has until Monday afternoon to finish the recount.