Pro-European forces in Moldova must have breathed a sigh of relief. In the parliamentary elections in the Republic of Moldova, the ruling pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS), led by President Maia Sandu, defended its absolute majority. After more than 99.5 percent of all ballots were counted, PAS won a parliamentary majority with 50.3 percent of the vote. The pro-Russian Patriotic Bloc of former President Igor Dodon received 24.3 percent, according to information from the Central Election Commission online. The co-chairman of the "Patriotic Bloc", former President Igor Dodon, called for protests against the election results on Monday.
Moldova EU candidate from 2022
The parliamentary elections in one of the poorest countries in the EU, sandwiched between EU member Romania and Ukraine, were seen as the most important since independence in 1991. Moldova, with 2.4 million people, has been a candidate for EU membership since 2022. Pro-Western President Maia Sandu hopes that most pro-European forces will continue reforms for the country's EU membership. The election campaign was overshadowed by mutual accusations of interference in the election. Moldovan authorities spoke of vote-buying by Russia, disinformation on social media and cyber attacks. Moldovan President Maia Sandu has accused Russia of massive interference in the election campaign. She had previously called these parliamentary elections "the most important in the history of Moldova." After voting in the capital, Chisinau, the president said on Sunday that her country was in "danger":
High voter turnout
The pro-Russian forces of the Alternative bloc and businessman Renato Usatii's Nostru party could also enter the 101-seat parliament for four-year terms. The surprise came after the PPDA party, once founded to unite with Romania, crossed the five percent threshold after the first votes were counted.
Voter turnout was reported at just over 52 percent, higher than in 2021 (48 percent). But the outcome of the vote depends especially on the participation of the diaspora abroad. Hundreds of thousands of Moldovans live in the EU and traditionally have a big influence on who governs their homeland. The final preliminary result is expected on Monday./DW
