Romanian voters join others across Europe in voting their representatives in the European Parliament on Sunday, in a poll expected to be marked by massive apathy. Romania will have 33 members in the EP following today's vote, down from 35 it currently has. 287 candidates of seven parties and two independent candidates, including the President's daughter, are running for a seat in the EP.

Voting citizens have more than 18,000 polling stations to vote, 190 of which are abroad. The first to vote were Romanians settled in Australia, with voting sections also open in Europe, Africa and Middle East.

Expectations about the turnout are very low as distrust in political parties has been increasing while elections are taking place during a long weekend, as Monday is a holiday for Romanian workers.

The electoral campaign has been marked by intense campaigning for party leaders who are using the occasion to test the electoral support for presidential elections due late this year. Among those who have made their mark for the past month of campaigning are President Basescu, National Liberal Party leader Crin Antonescu and Social Democratic Party leader Mircea Geoana, all of whom are expected to run in the presidential elections.

Parties that have proposed candidates in the EP elections are: the National Liberal Party (PNL), the Hungarian Democrats (UDMR), the Democratic-Liberal Party (PD-L), the National Peasants Party-Christian Democrats (PNT-CD), the Civic Force, the Greater Romania Party.

Candidates include far-right PRM leader Corneliu Vadim Tudor who has joined forces with a populist politician-businessman, Gigi Becali, President Traian Basescu's daughter Elena Basescu, who runs as an independent, ex-Justice minister Monica Macovei and many current MEPs. Romanian voters join others across Europe in voting their represent