Romanians have begun voting in parliamentary elections. Polling stations opened at 5 a.m. GMT and are scheduled to close at 7 p.m. GMT, with the first official results expected later in the evening.

The vote is key to restoring credibility among investors, with the incumbent Prime Minister Ludovic Orban holding a narrow lead over the opposition Social Democratic Party (PSD). Orban, 57, has been in power for a year in spite of his opponents' hold over parliament and has said he would tone down a 40 percent pension hike ordered by the left-leaning PSD.

Economists say the hike would propel the deficit into double digits and push Romania's credit rating to junk. All three main rating agencies have already placed Romania on the lowest investment grade with a negative outlook.

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The Romanian leu has traded near all-time lows against the euro in the last year, weighed down by twin deficits and a string of corruption-related scandals, which have toppled three governments since the last parliamentary election in 2016.

Orban has pledged to halt efforts by leftist-led cabinets to sap court independence amid the judiciary's scrutiny of alleged corruption and misuse of funds. The PSD denies these accusations.

He has also campaigned on a promise to bring Romania closer to the European mainstream following years of fiscal populism and political instability coupled with neglect of rundown infrastructure and public services.

"I have voted for substantial reforms, for a clear Euro-Atlantic direction for Romania and... for a development plan that will give Romania the lift it deserves," Orban told reporters.

Low turnout, tight race

More than 18 million Romanians are eligible to vote, but analysts only expect a turnout of about 40 percent due to pandemic fears.

"I voted with the hope that we will finally manage to accumulate a majority that will lead this country properly," said Eugen Dorobantu, a 70-year-old structural engineer.

Opinion polls give Orban's National Liberal Party (PNL) about 28 to 30 percent of the vote and 24 to 26 percent for the PSD.

If it wins the election, the PNL is expected to seek a governing coalition with progressive USR-Plus party, forecast to win approximately 18 percent of the vote. However, analysts have warned the two parties might struggle to reach an agreement on transparency and key appointments.

The PNL is being supported by President Klaus Iohannis, who has brushed aside criticism that he is disrespecting his constitutional role by campaigning for Orban's party.

The PSD won by a landslide in the previous election in 2016. Its years in power were marked by massive anti-corruption protests and spats with Brussels over controversial judicial reforms. The socialist government was also weakened by the imprisonment of its former leader Liviu Dragnea on corruption charges. 

The PSD was eventually removed from power through a no-confidence vote at the end of 2019 and is now trying to bounce back.

Marcel Ciolacu, the new head of the PSD, has distanced himself from Dragnea.

Growing anger

The coronavirus pandemic has also fueled anger over social distancing restrictions that have hit thousands of small farmers who sell their produce in nearby cities.

"I came for my right to vote... but there is turmoil in my thoughts, I have nobody to vote for," said 67-year-old pensioner Viorica David. "We are leading a life of nightmare, especially us pensioners.

"I worked for 44 years and yet everybody sets us aside, absolutely everybody. I hope all of them get to retire and get treated as we are treated now – nobody has a place for us."

Ciolacu has accused Orban's government of "incompetence" and failing to keep the spread of the coronavirus under control.

"The real virus that Romania is facing is... the PNL," Ciolacu recently said in a Facebook post.

"To stem the pandemic, we must first prevent the liberals from staying in power, from closing schools, churches and markets," he added, reflecting the PSD's skeptical attitude towards anti-coronavirus measures.