BUCHAREST, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Romania's opposition Social Democratic Party and National Liberal Party signed Wednesday a political agreement to endorse Social Democratic leader Mircea Geoana in a presidential runoff against the incumbent President Traian Basescu and to assemble a parliamentary majority after the elections.

    Geoana said the signed political agreement does not regard sharing the portfolios in the future government, but just the principles for good governance that will secure political stability for the country and solutions to get the country out of the crisis.

    He added that the future government program will get inspiration from the Social Democratic "Only One Romania" program, which will also include ideas from the Liberals in an attempt to strike a balance between the roles of the government and the free market.

    Geoana hailed Crin Antonescu and his liberal party for their trust, saying that the Social Democrats would form a governmental majority with the Liberals and endorse the mayor of the central city of Sibiu Klaus Johannis, an independent politician nominated by the Liberals, as prime minister of the new government.

    Liberal leader Antonescu said the deal signed with the Social Democrats is a beneficial political move for Romania, stressing that the document was not signed merely for supporting Geoana in the presidential runoff.

    His party also wants to form a majority to endorse a government and draw up a government program that will take Romania out of the ongoing crisis, Antonescu said.

    According to provisional final results released by the Central Election Bureau earlier on Wednesday, Basescu secured 32.44 percent of the vote in Sunday's presidential elections and Geoana 31.15 percent, followed by Antonescu with 20.02 percent.

    Thus, Basescu and Geoana face a presidential runoff on Dec. 6 as both failed to garner the required majority votes.

    The East European country has been in a political gridlock since mid-October, when its democrat liberal government was ousted in a non- confidence vote in the parliament, the first in the past20 years.

    President Basescu failed to win parliament support for a new prime minister, and the country seems unlikely to have a legitimate government in place before the Dec. 6 runoff.

Romania announces provisional presidential election result

    BUCHAREST, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Incumbent Romanian President Traian Basescu secured 32.44 percent of the vote in Sunday's presidential elections and Social Democrat leader Mircea Geoana 31.15 percent, according to provisional final results released by the Central Election Bureau (BEC) on Wednesday.

    They were followed by Crin Antonescu of the National Liberal Party with 20.02 percent, according to the BEC. Full story

Presidential elections begin in Romania

    BUCHAREST, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- The presidential elections began on Sunday morning in Romania, over 18 million eligible voters are expected to turn to polls to elect a new president for the next five-year term.

    A number of 12 candidates entered the race for the state's top position. Full story