Candidates and parties used some of the most weird and ingenious methods to compel voters to choose them in Romania European Parliament elections due to take place on Sunday, November 25. Several weeks of campaign saw them on skating rinks, tasting pickles, courting porn stars and beginning a new life as bloggers. This is the first European poll in the country since joining the EU in January this year.

Fragrant gifts

The main opposition party, the Social Democrats (PSD), campaigned through Bucharest streets offering personalized car fragrance cardboards printed with slogans mocking the alliance that came to power in 2004 only to fell apart two years later.

The PSD also spread posters with one of their 'sexiest' candidates for the EP, Magda Bistriceanu, hoping to impress male voters.

Meanwhile, the governing Liberals (PNL) invented the electoral chewing gum - packs of gum printed with the message "Don't let yourself BLINDED! You feel how good it is to know! Vote PNL!". The Romanian word for 'blinded' is 'orbit', the same as the chewing gum brand.

Strip bar turned into voting section

In the Moldavian, Eastern Romanian city of Focsani, a strip bar, 'the Golden Crown', was turned into a voting section for the Sunday elections.

In Galati, young members of the small Liberal Democratic Party (PLD) delivered bags with lemons and oranges to passers-by to have them get rid of what they called the sick sensation produced by the sausages of Romanian-style electoral campaigns, where many politicians are calling people to street parties with free sausages and tuica, a Romanian spirit drink.

President Basescu as a Jedi Knight

The European poll takes place simultaneously with a referendum call by President Traian Basescu for the introduction of uninominal voting in Romania. The only one to campaign for the referendum was Basescu himself.

On the President's website, www.basescu.ro, a game was uploaded where Traian Basescu is depicted as a Jedi Knight using an orange broom to fight a majority of Romanian politicians who support voting on party lists.

As a result, the governing Liberals, known as Basescu's political opponents, have produced not one but four electronic games where the main characters are Basescu and his close associates.

Electoral summersaults

PNL deputy president Ludovic Orban turned to singing and appeared guitar in hand on stage at a concert held by reputed Romanian rock band Phoenix.

For his part, PLD leader Theodor Stolojan recalled his skating abilities and while admitting he had last skated 21 years ago he showed up at a public skating rink.

Former EU Integration minister did not wait to be called by Romanians and phoned dozens of voters herself in an attempt to have them vote in the Sunday elections.

And Cosmin Gusa, a maverick politician who leads a small party in the parliament, showed up at a ball accompanied by a bear. A live one.

Another Liberal, House speaker Bogdan Olteanu chose another strategy and showed up at a market to talk to small producers selling pickles, beans and cheese. He did not come to terms with mushroom sellers, however, saying he would never buy their product because it was not made in Romania.

Porn show

Some ten days before the elections, newsrooms in Bucharest were hit with the rumor that porn actress Alina Plugaru joined the Liberal Democrats. A PLD representative even admitted that the party was glad to have her in its ranks.

But the party leadership dismissed the rumor in short order and PLD leader Theodor Stolojan was forced to admit that she was not accepted in the party.

Still, the rejection prompted the governing PNL and the Democrats (PD), the main supporters of President Basescu, to pose as impressed with the starlet's drama and hinted she might be admitted in the respective parties.

Last but not least, the electoral campaign prompted ex-President Ion Iliescu, who now serves as the party elder - officially, the honorary president - of the Social Democrats to play young and launched his own wordpress blog.