BUCHAREST, Romania, Nov. 30  -- Exit polls indicated Romanian voters favored the ex-communist Social Democrats in the country's general election Sunday.

The BBC reported that while the ultimate make-up of the next government remained uncertain, exit polls showed the Social Democrat candidates would receive about 36 percent of the vote. The governing National Liberals appeared to have about 20 percent and the party's former allies, the Liberal Democrats, were at about 31 percent, the British network said.

Bucharest  - The opposition Social Democrats are poised to become Romania's strongest party while ruling Prime Minister Calin Popescu's National Liberal Party suffered a clear defeat, according to exit polls released after Sunday's parliamentary elections.

In voting for both the Senate and the lower chamber of Parliament, separate exit polling by the survey organizations Insomar and CCSB put the Social Democrats (PSD) at
35 to 36 per cent of respondents.

Bucharest  - Romanians elect a new parliament Sunday amid an economic downturn that has cost thousands of jobs and could force the next government to take unpopular austerity measures.

Polls show Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu's centre-right National Liberal Party (PNL) running a distant third behind two opposition groups, President Traian Basescu's Democratic Liberal Party (PD-L) and the left-leaning Social Democrats (PSD).

With no party expected to win an outright majority, the next governing coalition for the EU and NATO member nation is hard to predict.

Turnout is tipped to be lower than for the last parliamentary elections in 2004, because feuding politicians and rampant corruption have turned off many voters.

Bucharest  - Romanians elect a new parliament Sunday amid an economic downturn that has cost thousands of jobs and could force the next government to take unpopular austerity measures.

Polls show Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu's centre-right National Liberal Party (PNL) running a distant third behind two opposition groups, President Traian Basescu's Democratic Liberal Party (PD-L) and the left-leaning Social Democrats (PSD).

With no party expected to win an outright majority, the next governing coalition for the EU and NATO member nation is hard to predict.

Turnout is tipped to be lower than for the last parliamentary elections in 2004, because feuding politicians and rampant corruption have turned off many voters.

Bucharest  - Romania is ready to leave its 498 soldiers in Iraq if the Iraqi government asks them to stay, Foreign Minister Lazar Comanescu was quoted Wednesday as saying.

Bucharest  - Romania is facing a protracted tug-of-war over the formation of a new government, with parliamentary elections scheduled for November 30. The global financial crisis, which is already costing jobs in the new EU member state, is likely to play a role.

Opinion polls show insufficient support for any one party to rule

alone. The only apparent certainty is that Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu, leader of the National Liberal Party (PNL) will be voted out of office. His party can expect to come third at best.