“From parading an elephant through the streets to wrapping a condom on a finger or posing as Jesus, Romanian politicians are finding new ways to woo voters ahead of municipal elections on June 1. … The election for thousands of city mayors and county council members is an important gauge of the popularity of Romania’s centrist government ahead of a parliamentary election this year. Hence the eye-catching stunts. A candidate from the western city of Arad has printed banners showing himself sitting behind a long table, together with 11 colleagues, in a depiction of the Last Supper. His message is he ‘believes’ in his team. Banners in central Romania display images of a finger with a condom wrapped around it. The candidate for city hall in Bistrita, Gelu Dragan, hopes to show he will protect voters against ever-present corruption.” (05/19/08)