Romania heads to the polls on Sunday to elect its next president. The firm favourite to win the second-round run-off is Prime Minister Victor Ponta, despite corruption probes and convictions of some of his senior aides.

Ponta’s campaign slogan is “Proud to be Romanians”.

Some say that’s a dig at his German speaking opponent Klaus Iohannis.

The 55-year-old physics teacher is seen as a gentleman in the rough and tumble of Romanian politics.

Iohannis said he’s best suited to continue the country’s battle against corruption.

The next president will face difficult tasks such as maintaining the independence of the judiciary system, something that has been closely monitored by the European Union.

Romania is the second poorest state in the European Union,which it joined in 2007, and also one of the bloc’s most corrupt member states, according to Transparency International.