Voting in Diaspora has begun; polling station in Auckland, New Zealand has been opened

Voting in the Diaspora has begun in New Zealand, the polling station in Auckland being the first one opened, out of the 835 set up for the presidential elections.

As a first, this year Romanians abroad have three days to cast a vote at the ballot boxes.

The polling stations in question are open according to the following schedule: on Friday, between 12:00 local time and 21:00 local time, and on Saturday and Sunday, between 7:00 local time and 21:00 local time. Electors who at 21:00 are inside the polling station, as well as those who are in line outside the polling station waiting to enter the polling place can exert their right to vote until 23:59 local time.

Most polling stations for Romanians abroad are in Spain - 143, in 99 localities - part opened in hotels, cultural centres, commercial centres or, for instance, in Guissona, in "Aventura Park" - a space devoted to children events.

In Madrid, the Permanent Electoral Authority (AEP) approved the set-up of nine polling stations.

A number of 142 polling stations were approved in Italy, out of which five in Rome, divided among the Embassy, the Consulate and the Romanian Cultural Institute. In Milan, AEP's list includes three polling stations, all on Via Oglio 20, where there is a school.

In Germany, AEP approved 79 polling stations, and in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - 72, out of which 18 are in London. Among the venues hosting a polling station in London, there is also "Dracula" restaurant.

Romanians in France can vote in the presidential election in one of the 50 polling stations approved by AEP. Five of these are in Paris. All three poling stations set up for Romanians in Marseille are in hotels, according to the list published by the Permanent Electoral Authority.

Besides those who can cast a vote at the ballot box, a number of 43,003 Romanians have chosen to vote by mail, according to the www.votstrainatate.ro portal.

According to the Central Electoral Bureau (BEC), the order on the paper ballots is the following: Klaus Iohannis - the National Liberal Party, Theodor Paleologu - the People's Movement Party, Dan Barna - the Save Romania Union - PLUS Alliance, Kelemen Hunor - the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania, Viorica Dancila - the Social Democratic Party, Catalin Ivan - the Alternative for National Dignity, Ninel Peia - the Romanian People Party, Sebastian-Constantin Popescu - the New Romania Party, John-Ion Banu - the Romanian Nation Party, Mircea Diaconu - 'UN OM' Alliance, Bogdan Marian-Stanoevici - independent, Ramona-Ioana Bruynseels - the Humanist Power Party, Viorel Catarama - the Liberal Right, Alexandru Cumpanasu - independent.

In the event of a second round of election, Romanians abroad will be able to vote at the polling stations on November 22, 23 and 24, on the same schedule as in the first round.