25 November

Romania's centrist President Klaus Iohannis has declared victory in Sunday's presidential election runoff.

The election commission said that with about 70 percent of the votes counted, Iohannis had around 62 percent, while opposition Social Democratic Party leader Viorica Dancila had slightly more than 37 percent.

In his victory speech, the 60-year-old incumbent from the National Liberal Party said that the election result meant that ''normal Romania'' was the winner.

Iohannis had pledged to fight corruption and resume judicial reforms in line with a request from the European Union.
But Romania's parliament was controlled by the Social Democrats said to be unwilling to carry out the reforms. Dancila had served as prime minister until last month.

Iohannis appointed a new prime minister from his own party after a no-confidence vote led to Dancila's resignation.
Romania has been plagued by corruption and failed to achieve economic growth even after joining the EU in 2007. It is one of the poorest EU members.

-NHK