Exit polls: Ex-foreign minister Mircea Geoana wins Romanian presidential race

Exit polls: Ex-foreign minister wins Romania race

BUCHAREST, Romania — Exit polls showed ex-foreign minister Mircea Geoana defeating incumbent Traian Basescu on Sunday in the Romanian presidential race.

Geoana, the leader of the left-leaning Social Democrats, called the results of the exit polls “a victory for normalcy, a victory for decency, for all citizens who want a better life.”

But Basescu immediately disputed the outcome, saying that exit polls were deceptive.

“You will see the manipulations on the television stations, which have been manipulating for three years. Today you can trust me fully when I tell you I won,” he said.

The Insomar opinion poll puts Geoana at 51.6 percent of the vote and Basescu at 49.8 percent. The Company for Research and Sociological Branding says Geoana won 51.6 percent to Basescu’s 48.4 percent. The CURS exit poll has Geoana with 50.8 percent and Basescu with 49.2 percent. First official results are expected Monday.

The hotly contested presidential runoff was seen as key to resolving almost two months of political crisis and to unfreezing an international loan Romania needs to emerge from recession.

Both candidates have claimed they would lift Romania out of its deepest political and economic crisis in 20 years, eradicate corruption and restore public trust.

“We conclude 20 years since the end of communism. Today we end the transition. Starting from tomorrow we will go firmly towards Europe,” said Geoana.

“We are committed to put an end to political crisis and in a few days we will have a government . . . with an authentic plan to fight against the economic crisis.”

He thanked conservative Crin Antonescu who won 20 percent of the vote in the first round of the presidential race and and threw his support behind Geoana.

Both Basescu and Geoana urged calm amid reports there would be protests about the results in the capital.

Romania’s economy, already in a deep recession, is expected to shrink some 8.5 percent this year with unemployment at more than 7 percent, 3 percentage points higher than last year.

The country is seeking to unlock a euro1.5 billion ($2 billion) IMF bailout loan but is unlikely to get one this year due to the instability. The IMF says it will give the loan when Romania has a government in place and a budget for 2010.

Romania has been without a government since Oct. 13 when Parliament dismissed Prime Minister Emil Boc in a no confidence vote.

The first round of elections on Nov. 22 was marred by allegations of multiple voting and votes being bought. There were similar reports Sunday.

Basescu cast his vote early and wished Romanians who are celebrating St. Nicholas Day a happy holiday.

The 58-year-old president had seen his popularity drop this year due to the economic downturn and political feuding, but still enjoys wide support, especially in rural areas and among the working class.

He takes credit for raising Romania’s international profile by leading the country into the European Union in 2007, and hosting a major NATO summit in 2008 — the high point of his presidency.

Geoana, 51, who served as Romania’s ambassador to the U.S. and then as foreign minister, lacks Basescu’s popular appeal but is seen as a clever negotiator in Romanian politics. His Social Democratic Party, the successor to the Communist Party that ruled Romania for more than 40 years, has a strong grass-roots organization in both rural areas and cities.

Basescu accuses Geoana of being a pawn of media moguls and business players, a charge that has resonated with voters amid Romania’s economic woes.

Geoana, who polled slightly less than Basescu in the first round but was ahead in the most recent opinion poll, said in a Friday interview with The Associated Press that Basescu has fomented political instability and used Romania’s secret services to monitor his opponents.

Basescu’s chances were hurt after a video appeared of him appearing to punch a 10-year-old boy during an election rally in 2004.

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Associated Press Writer Alina Wolfe Murray in Bucharest contributed to this report.