Romania elections: Ponta alliance easily wins parliament
Romania’s Prime Minister Victor Ponta has been accused of copying about half of the thesis he submitted to the University of Bucharest in 2003.
The center-left Romanian government swept to an easy victory in the country's parliamentary elections, according to partial results released Monday.
But the convincing win may not do much to ease the bitter rivalry between President Traian Basescu and Prime Minister Victor Ponta, The Associated Press reported.
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Ponta's center-left alliance won about 59 percent of the country's 452-seat legislature, compared to the 17 percent won by the center-right group linked to Basescu.
More than 81 percent of the votes have been counted, The New York Times reported.
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The nation's two top politicians have been locked in a power struggle since Ponta came to power in April following the collapse of the center-right government.
Ponta tried to impeach Basescu this summer, but didn't get the turnout needed to pass the referendum, BBC News reported.
Basescu has hinted that he may refuse to re-appoint Ponta should his rival win.