President Klaus Iohannis is all set to be re-elected in a presidential runoff on November 24 over Ex-Prime Minister Viorica Dăncilă.
Western President Klaus Iohannis appears set to be reelected in a presidential runoff on November 24 that pits the former teacher against a leftist candidate who was prime minister until last month, when mounting frustration at corruption and other ills toppled her government.
A second term for Iohannis would help restore Romania’s pro-European trajectory after years of leftist rule marked by rampant corruption and an all-out assault on the judiciary.
Romanians are going to the polls on Sunday for a presidential election runoff expected to re-elect centrist president Klaus Iohannis, who has pledged to restart a judicial reform slowed down by successive Social Democrat (PSD) governments.
Read More: German economy avoid recession
While there have been no recent opinion polls, local bookmakers make Iohannis the short-odds favourite to beat former PSD prime minister Viorica Dancila comfortably in Sunday’s runoff.
Under a succession of PSD governments, Romania rolled back anti-corruption measures and weakened the independence of the courts. Along with ex-communist peers Poland and Hungary, it has been heavily criticised by Brussels for its actions.
However, the 60-year-old Iohannis has been credited by Western allies and the European Union with trying to protect the rule of law, in particular by challenging attempts to limit judges’ independence.
Read More: Jordan finance minister reject new taxes claim in budget
“I will vote for a president to represent us, one that is respected both at home and abroad. This is the one we need,” said retired army staff Ioan Banu, while heading to a Bucharest college to cast his ballot, after polls opened at 05:00 GMT.
The president’s powers are mostly limited to nominating a prime minister on the basis of who can command a majority, challenging laws in the Constitutional Court, and appointing some chief prosecutors.
If elected again, Iohannis will have a chance to install anti-graft and anti-mafia prosecutors who are serious about tackling endemic corruption with the backing of Prime Minister Ludovic Orban, who became head of a liberal minority government by winning a parliamentary vote of confidence three weeks ago.
Dancila’s PSD had increased the burden of proof in corruption cases, reorganised panels of judges and set up a special unit to investigate magistrates for potential abuses, a move widely seen as an instrument of political coercion.
Read More: Netanyahu indicted for bribery and fraud charges
Romania’s judicial reforms have been monitored by Brussels since it joined the EU in 2007; in October, Brussels said the reforms were going backwards.
Iohannis, a soft-spoken ethnic German and former mayor of Sibiu, became president in 2014.
President Klaus Iohannis poised for victory in Romanian presidential vote.