HispanicBusiness

Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta's centre-left coalition won an absolute majority in a parliamentary election held at the weekend, partial results showed on Monday.

Ponta's Social Liberal Union (USL) had 59 per cent of the vote after around 80 per cent of the ballots were counted, the state election commission said.

Ponta is likely to forge an alliance with the Hungarian minority UDMR party, with around 5.5 per cent of the votes.

The Right Romania Alliance (ARD) of President Traian Basescu, a rival of Ponta, had 17 per cent of the votes and the populist TV personality Dan Diaconescu's People's Party 14 per cent.

The two leaders have been embroiled in a bitter feud which has paralyzed the country, which is under pressure to continue reforms launched in agreement with the International Monetary Fund and EU.