Romanian newspapers on Thursday debate the fate of the uninominal voting systems proposed separately by the Government and President Traian Basescu.

They also quote a EU study showing the unofficial labor is counting for 21% of the Romanian GDP, try to calm down spirits overwhelmed by recent floods across the country with reports of milder weather this coming winter and comment on the failure of Romanian football club Steaua gainst Seville on Wednesday night.

And the papers quote newly released data showing how stress and bad eating habits are affecting the health of Romanians.

Romania libera reports that the Government approved on Wednesday a draft bill on the introduction of an uninominal voting system in Romania. The Government will take responsibility for the bill before the Parliament on Monday.

But the news come as the official gazette published a presidential degree issued the previous day by which President Traian Basescu is calling Romanians to a referendum on a different uninominal voting system. The two moves create an unprecedented situation the outcome of which is difficult to forecast as of today.

Evenimentul Zilei analyzes the two voting systems, showing the advantages and risks of both.

It says Basescu’s system, which is closer to the one applied in France, risks blocking the access of small parties in the Parliament for good as it encourages the creation of strong political coalitions and prevents “buying” upper positions on electoral lists.

Meanwhile, the system proposed by PM Calin Popescu Tariceanu’s government is compensating both electoral winners and losers, according to the newspaper.

Cotidianul believes that the initiatives of President Basescu and Tariceanu’s Government respectively are splitting the country into two as they create an unprecedented legislative contest despite sharing several key points.

Gandul reports that the Government does not have to worry much about a possible censure motion over its taking responsibility for the bill as the only political party that had announced such an initiative, the far-right Greater Romania Party (PRM), announced on Wednesday that it abandoned its plans in this regard.

Gandul also pays attention to the concerns of many a Romanian citizen affected by extremely bad weather in October. It quotes meteorologists who say Romania should expect a mild winter, but colder than the last.

Meanwhile, Cotidianul discusses the loss of Steaua against Seville on Wednesday night, which prevented the Romanian football team from advancing to the European spring.

The paper quotes Spanish media which point towards the popularity downspiral of Steaua owner Gigi Becali, a businessman turned populist politician who presents himself in a Christian tone as “the worrior of the Light”. Becali is for his part quoted as saying that he felt “like a cockroach” for Steaua’s loss.

Elsewhere in the papers today:

Romania libera reads that a business group commonly associated by the media to President Traian Basescu is a “champion” in the lucrative business of replacing pavement curbs on Bucharest streets.

The paper reminds that such works have sparked scandal among the citizens of Romania’s capital city as nobody can see any use in them.

Romania libera also quotes a EU-level poll showing that unofficial work force - workers who don’t have proper employment papers - are accounting for 16-21% of the Romanian GDP, somewhere in line with Greece, Hungary, Italy, Spain, Slovenia, Latvia and Lithuania.

• And Evenimentul Zilei reports that almost a quarter of the Romanians who underwent free health checks provided by the Health Ministry so far risk diabetes because of unhealthy eating habits and nervous overload.