Romanian prime minister Marcel Ciolacu, confirmed as president of the largest party in the future Parliament after the December 1 elections (Social Democratic Party, PSD), avoided voicing support for any of the candidates in the key presidential ballot where reformist Elena Lasconi (USR)

Romania's ruling Social Democratic Party was in the lead with 26% of the vote in the country's parliamentary elections, according to exit polls. Exit polls showed the PSD with 26% of the vote, ahead of the hard-right Alliance for the Unification of Romania on 19%.

BUCHAREST - Romanian centrist and leftist parties looked to have fended off a surge by the nationalist right in Sunday's parliamentary election, as attention turned to a top court ruling later on Monday on whether to annul the results of a presidential vote.