The benefits of incumbency

The village of Voinesti in Romania has re-elected its long-serving mayor, Neculai Ivascu, for another term of office with a majority of 23 votes over his rival, Gheorghe Dobrescu.  One small complication is that Mr Ivascu died just before the vote was held, but his former electors obviously didn't consider this to be an impediment to his election.  

 

"I know he died, but I don't want change," one villager told Romanian TV. 

 

However, Romanian electoral officials have annulled the result and declared Mr Dobrescu the winner, causing controversy amongst the late Mr Ivascu's supporters.

 

- Source: BBC News, 17 June 2008