Impeachment Vote

Polls have suggested Basescu, 55, will win the vote, reinforcing his legitimacy as president and head of a center-right coalition. But some observers say the country's politics will remain in disarray some five months after Romania joined the European Union.

Voters are being asked to reply "yes" or "no" to the question "Do you agree with Traian Basescu being dismissed?"

If he has to go, new presidential elections will be organised within three months.

"Go vote," the Romania Libera newspaper exhorted the country's 18.2 million registered voters, while the Evenimentul Zilei daily said "what's at stake is not whether Basescu wins but with what percentage."

Romania's last referendum, on the constitution, attracted just 55 percent of Romanian voters.

Parliament suspended Basescu last month, accusing him of "controlling through those close to him all state institutions, of interfering in the law and protecting the interests of the mafia in the Romanian economy."

Popular despite allegations

He remains popular due to his frank comments and what some see as his commitment to rooting out corruption.

Basescu has campaigned in Romania, and in Spain, aware of the importance of the estimated two million Romanians living abroad.

At the same time, Basescu's opponents, including liberal Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu, appear to have lost ground in polls.

Presidential power in question

"Romanian society has arrived at a point where such a debate has been necessary to better define the balance of power between the president, the government and parliament," said political scientist Iosif Boda.

Another analyst said the conflict between Basescu and parliament can only be resolved through new parliamentary elections.

"The economic effects of political instability have been limited until now," said Mark Percival of the Romanian Think Tank. "But over the long term, the country will pay the price since urgent reforms risk being delayed, which could lead to sanctions from the EU."

Polling stations opened at 8:00 a.m. (500 UCT) and were due to close at 8:00 p.m. (1700 UCT).

Partial results were expected Saturday evening.

Opposition members amended the voting procedure in recent weeks, with new rules saying the president can be impeached by a majority of those who cast ballots, rather than a majority of registered voters.