Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, chairman the Social Democratic Party (PSD), said on Tuesday that the decision to merge local and European Parliament elections was the right one, given that the turnout is estimated to be 50%.

The head of government was asked if he feared a low turnout amid lack of information and indecision.

„I will refrain from any jokes, because I have made jokes before and they have been misinterpreted. I don’t know all the details. From the statistics it looks like there will be a turnout of around 50%. I’m asking you something else instead: if we only had had European Parliament elections, can you imagine what the turnout would have been? This confirms to me that the decision to have a joint election was the right one,” premier Marcel Ciolacu told a press conference.

The Permanent Electoral Authority announced on May 10 that more than 18.96 million citizens with the right to vote were registered to vote at the end of April. They are expected to go to the polls on June 9 for the election of local and county councillors, presidents of county councils, mayors and for the election of Romanian members of the European Parliament.

AGERPRES