She said voter turnout was at 20.84% in urban areas and at 22.09% in rural areas, adding the estimate, which considered nearly 3,000 polling stations, has an error margin is +/-3%.
The Parliament voted to suspend Basescu on July 6 and Sunday’s referendum requires a voter turnout of over 50% of the country’s 18 million eligible voters to be validated, as per a decision of the country’s Constitutional Court.
Romanian authorities have set up around 18,000 polling stations countrywide and 306 at embassies and consular offices abroad. Polls close at 11 p.m..
If Basescu is impeached following Sunday’s ballot, a presidential election is expected to be held within three months, and USL co-leader Crin Antonescu would remain acting president until the vote.