Romania's governing Social Liberal Union (USL) crushed opposition Democratic Liberals (PDL) in local elections on Sunday. According to a nation-wide poll presented by Romanian news channel Romania TV as polling stations closed at 9 p.m., USL won 60% of the votes at national level, as compared to 11% for Democratic Liberals and 10% for the fringe, populist Dan Diaconescu Popular Party. In Bucharest, 66% of the votes went for incumbent, USL-supported mayor Sorin Oprescu and only 16% for his main PDL challenger Silviu Prigoana.
In Bucharest, USL won all District Mayor seats except for District 2, which went for incumbent UNPR mayor Neculai Ontanu. PDL lost Districts 3 and 6 to USL candidates.
One of the closest battles is in Cluj, where some exit polls show the USL candidate way ahead ex-PM Emil Boc of the PDL, who's running for a third term in mayor office, while others show them neck-in-neck.
USL, an union of Social Democrats (PSD) and Liberals (PDL), formed the government after years of PDL - a party supported by President Traian Basescu - leadership this spring.
Exit polls announced by other channels showed similar figures.
CCSB exit-poll for Antena3 news station (9:00 p.m.):
Bucharest - Mayor:
- Sorin Oprescu (USL supported)- 65.8%
- Silviu Prigoana (PDL) - 15.7%
- Nicusor Dan (independent) - 6.8%
- Horia Mocanu - 5.8%
- George Becali - 1.4%
- Anghel Iordanescu - 1.4%
- Irinel Columbeanu - 0.1%
- Petre Popeangă -0.7%
Bucharest - City Council:
- USL - 62.4%
- PDL - 16.3%
- PP-DD - 7.0%
- UNPR - 2.2%
- PRM - 1.5%
- PNG-CD - 0.8%
- PNT-CD - 0.4%
- Nicusor Dan - 4.3%
IRES Exit-poll for Digi 24 news channel:
Bucharest - Mayor:
- Sorin Oprescu 64.6%
- Silviu Prigoana 13.2%
- Nicusor Dan 8.6%
Iasi - Mayor:
- Nichita (USL) 63.5
- Ciuhodaru 11.8
Cluj - Mayor:
- Marius Nicoara (USL) 43.9
- Emil Boc (PDL) 36.9
Craiova:
- Antonie Solomon 36.1
- Lia Olguta Vasilescu (USL) 52.4
CURS Exit poll for Realitatea TV news channel:
Bucharest - Mayor:
- Sorin Oprescu - 64, 11
- Silviu Prigoana - PDL 17,57
- Nicusor Dan - 7, 41
- Anghel Iordanescu (UNPR)
- Irinel Columbeanu (PPPS)
- Gigi Becali (PNG)
District 1:
- Andrei-Ioan Chiliman (USL) - 74,52%
- Theodor Paleologu (PDL) - 16,36%
District 2:
- Neculai Ontanu (UNPR) - 42%
District 3:
- Robert Negoita - USL 58%
- Liviu Negoita - PDL 31 %
District 4:
- Cristian-Victor Popescu Piedone (USL) - 80%
District 5
- Marian Vanghelie (USL) - 56
- Mihai Cristian Atanasoaei - 14
- Corin Romanescu - 8.99
- Attila Alexandru Banyai - 8,31
- Mugur Mihaescu - Independent 8.78
District 6
- Rares Manescu - 50.61
- Constantin Cristian Poteras - 24%
Targu-Mures:
- Dorin Florea 54,04 %
- Gyorgy Frunda 30,76 %
Cluj-Napoca:
- Emil Boc 41%
- Marius Nicoara 41%
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