Moldovan President Maia Sandu’s pro-European party has won an election that was beset by Russian attempts to interfere and calls from pro-Kremlin parties to befriend Moscow, even offering to pay for it, writes the BBC.
These parliamentary elections were seen as crucial for Moldova’s path to the European Union. Sandu warned of widespread Russian involvement after the vote, saying that Moldova’s future was at stake. With the votes almost counted, her Action and Solidarity party (PAS) won 50% of the vote, a clear increase over the leading pro-Kremlin party, which won less than 25%. Voter turnout was higher than in the past – 52% of eligible voters took part.
Igor Dodon, one of the opposition leaders, managed to declare victory before the results were known and called for a protest outside the parliament building on the 29th of September.
Although the elections were anticipated with concern and the competition was predicted to be very fierce, PAS managed to secure enough votes to form a majority government. Four years ago, PAS won 52.8% of the vote. Based on the latest results, this time PAS could win 55 of the 101 seats in parliament, meaning it would not need support from other parties, including populist ones, to form a government.
Several polling stations outside Moldova – in Italy, Romania, Spain and the United States – reported a possible bomb threat. Reports of bombs were also received in Moldova, and three people were arrested for planning riots the day after the election.
PAS leader Igor Grosu blamed Moscow-backed criminal groups for the incidents
and called for peace and patience.
Moldova also owns a separate pro-Russian enclave, Transnistria, which is home to a Russian army and whose residents hold Moldovan passports. Many support Moscow, and Dodon has claimed that Transnistrians have been prevented from voting in various ways.
Sandu, who was elected to a second term as president in November 2024, repeatedly warned the country’s people before the election that the future was in their own hands.
Sandu’s rival, Dodon, boasted of his victory on state television before the first results were announced. Just two days before the election, one of the parties in Dodon’s bloc was expelled from the race for using illegally obtained funds. During the campaign, police reported an unprecedented level of Russian interference, including disinformation and vote-buying. Dozens of men have been arrested on suspicion of planning to travel to Serbia to take part in weapons training and plotting riots. The BBC also uncovered a network offering payments for posting fake news and Russian propaganda on social media. Pro-Kremlin parties have said the charges are a police showdown designed to intimidate Moscow supporters. The Russian embassy in London responded to the BBC’s report by accusing Moldova and its “Western sponsors” of trying to divert attention from what was happening in Chisinau.
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