Independent candidate Sorin Oprescu, backed by the opposition Social Democrats, is the new mayor of Romania capital Bucharest, according to exit-polls announced by news channels Realitatea TV and Antena 3 separately following the Sunday local elections. The CCSB exit-poll, announced by Antena 3 as voting ended at 9 p.m., showed Oprescu win with 54.5% of votes, while Liberal Democratic (PD-L) lost with 45.5%.
Sorin Oprescu resigned from the Social Democratic Party (PSD) before the campaign for local elections started this spring, so that he could run for Bucharest mayor following a PSD decision to support another candidate. But his candidacy was supported from the very beginning by some PSD leaders and in the run-up for the second round of elections the party put its weight fully behind him.
Vasile Blaga admitted defeat shortly after exit-polls were announced at 9 p.m. Romanian time on Sunday. Oprescu will thus take over the seat held so far by Adriean Vanghelie of PD-L, who became mayor after former mayor Traian Basescu was elected President of Romania in 2004.
The CSSB/Antena 3 exit-poll results for Bucharest district mayors, also elected in the second round of local elections on Sunday:
District 1 - Andrei Chiliman (National Liberal Party - PNL) - 53.7%. Defeated Razvan Murgeanu (PD-L)District 4 - Cristian Popescu "Piedone" (Conservative Party - PC): 62.5%. Defeated Radu Silaghi (PD-L)District 5 - Marian Vanghelie (Social Democratic Party - PSD): 55%. Defeated Sebastian Bodu (PD-L)District 6 - Cristian Poteras (PD-L): 56.1%. Defeated Dan Darabont (PSD)
The INSOMAR/Realitatea TV exit-poll results for Bucharest district mayors and for mayor of Iasi, Eastern Romania:
District 1: Andrei Chiliman - 56.8%, Razvan Murgeanu - 43.2%District 4:Cristian Popescu Piedone - 64.6%, Radu Silaghi - 35.4%District 5: Marian Vanghelie -
