Romanians go to the polls today to elect a president in a second-round run-off vote pitting Prime Minister Adrian Nastase, the favourite, against Bucharest Mayor Traian Basescu.
The winner will take over from Ion Iliescu who has led Romania for 11 of the past 15 years. Iliescu's successor faces the challenge of leading the country through economic and judicial reforms aimed at gaining European Union membership in 2007.
Both Prime Minister Adrian Nastase and Bucharest Mayor Traian Basescu support EU membership.
Nastase, who represents the left-leaning Social Democrats, won about 41 percent of the ballots in the first round on Nov. 28. Basescu, a former ship's captain, won about 34 percent, also short of the 50 percent minimum required for victory.
The vote was marred by accusations of fraud from the opposition and non-governmental organizations. The Social Democrats say there were only minor irregularities, and accuse Basescu, 53, of trying to damage Romania's image abroad.
Nastase, 54, points to the completion of membership talks this week and 8.1 percent economic growth this year as among his accomplishments. EU officials have told Romania that its planned accession date could be pushed back if the country backtracks on democratic reforms.
Nastase promises continuity and says experience makes him the best choice for president.
Yet many see his Social Democratic Party as linked to the old-guard communists that reinvented themselves as champions of democracy after the 1989 revolt and execution of former dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.
Romanian election authorities have adopted new rules intended to crack down on multiple voting, and Foreign Minister Mircea Geoana promised a flawless runoff. More than 3,000 observers were expected to monitor the runoff, in which about 18 million Romanians are eligible to vote.
Exit polls are expected to be released immediately after polls close Sunday. Final results are expected Wednesday.
The winner will have to nominate the future government. In the parliamentary elections, Nastase's party won 189 of 469 seats, while Basescu's Alliance won 161.
Neither has enough seats to form a majority. Nastase's party says it will seek a controlling influence through an alliance with a party representing ethnic Hungarians.
A former foreign minister, Nastase is the protege of Iliescu, an ex-communist who has been president three times since the communist regime ended 15 years ago in a bloody revolt.
Opposition leader Basescu heads the centrist Justice and Truth Alliance. He is known for his plain speech and rose to national fame by accusing the governing Social Democrats of fostering corruption and damaging democracy.
Twice elected Bucharest mayor, he stepped in to run as president when former Prime Minister Theodor Stolojan withdrew for health reasons.
The pro-opposition daily Evenimentul Zilei said Basescu had "an electrifying finish" to his race, while other newspapers praised Nastase for wrapping up EU membership talks.
AP