Romanian Social Democrats, National Minorities Team Up For Presidential Runoff

Geoana welcomed minorities' decision to team up with the social democrats, stressing their support in the presidential elections will help him carry out his electoral goal "A Single Romania."

Geoana and liberal leader Crin Antonescu signed Wednesday the agreement of cooperation between the two parties, whereby liberals will back Geoana in the presidential election runoff.

Antonescu said Wednesday after the signing that the agreement is different than previous ones beacuse it is a statement of principles and did not emerge as a result of negotiations for positions and power.

In turn, social democrat presidential candidate Geoana said signing this agreement is a major step toward political stability and not a political "swap" of positions or buying of votes.

Romania's incumbent President Traian Basescu, who represents Romania's political center and is backed by democrat liberals, and leftist leader Geoana will face off in a second round of elections on December 6.

Results of Sunday's first round of elections show Basescu in the lead with 32.44% of the votes and Geoana with 31.15%. Antonescu got 20.02% of the votes, which he now wants to direct to Geoana in the runoff.

Whoever emerges as the country's next president will have to appoint a prime minister to carry through reforms conditioning the east European country's IMF-led EUR20 billion rescue loan.

Romania has been in a political gridlock since mid-October, when its democrat liberal government was ousted in a no-confidence vote in Parliament, a first in the 20 years of democracy after the fall of the communist regime.

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