Poll reveals Antonescu, Ponta top options for possible President

Around 17.5 percent of the Romanians would vote for opposition Liberal (PNL) leader Crin Antonescu and 15.2 percent for Social Democratic (PSD, in opposition) chairman Victor Ponta if presidential elections were to be held next Sunday, reveals a survey conducted by the Group for Social Studies (GSS) 2000 that was commissioned by the PNL. The survey also shows that 6.2 percent of the respondents would vote for incumbent President Traian Basescu, 4.9 percent for OTV television owner Dan Diaconescu, 3.8 percent for Social Democratic Senate Chairman Mircea Geoana, 2.4 percent for Greater Romania Party (PRM) leader Corneliu Vadim Tudor and 0.5 percent for Steaua Bucharest soccer club owner George ‘Gigi' Becali. However, 23.7 percent of the GSS 2000 polled said they have not yet decided whether they would cast a vote, 13.4 percent said they would not go to the ballot box if elections were held next Sunday, while 7 percent refused to reveal their voting intentions. Out of the total probable voters, 31.4 percent would back Antonescu for Romania's President, 27.1 percent would vote for Ponta, 11 percent for Basescu, 8.8 percent for Diaconescu, 6.8 percent for Geoana, 4.2 percent for Vadim Tudor and 0.8 percent for Becali. AGERPRES