Election day polls, which were published when the polling stations closed at 8 p.m., give the social democrat Ciolacu 25 percent of the vote.
He is likely to face centre-right candidate Elena Lasconi from the Save Romania Union party in a second and decisive election round. According to election day polls, she gets about 18 percent of the vote.
But it is close between Lasconi and the third and fourth man, the two right-wing nationalists Calin Georgescu and George Simion, who get respectively 16 and 15 percent of the vote according to election day polls.
Lasconi says she will not celebrate until the final result from the first round of elections comes in, probably Monday night or Monday morning.
Pro-Western
56-year-old Ciolacu was previously president of the National Assembly and took over as prime minister last year.
He is running on promises of development and economic growth, and he also promises to ensure that Romania enjoys greater respect in the outside world.
– Unfortunately, we have political leaders who challenge our membership in the EU and NATO. I believe that political extremists should be isolated and that no government should pay attention to them, he said during the election campaign.
Journalist and mayor
Lasconi (52) is a former journalist and is currently mayor of the town of Campulung.
She too has stood for economic growth and strengthening institutions, and she has said that she wants to work for “a country where no one needs to leave the country to find a job”.
A total of 13 candidates stood for election in the first round of the presidential election. A second and decisive election round will be held on 8 December.
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