Europe Moldova elects head of state in run-off vote
The run-off election for the presidency in the former Soviet republic of Moldova got underway this morning without incident. Pro-European President Maia Sandu is running for a second term in the impoverished agrarian country between EU member Romania and Ukraine.
03.11.2024, 09:03
SDA
Sandu's challenger is the former Prosecutor General Alexandr Stoianoglo, who is running for the Socialist Party of the pro-Moscow ex-president Igor Dodon.
Russia's influence remains strong in Moldova, which, like Ukraine, is a candidate for EU membership. The outcome of the election is considered open.
All polling stations opened without delay, according to the election administration in the capital Chisinau. Earlier in the morning, tens of thousands of people cast their votes in Chisinau and other places in sunny fall weather.
The 52-year-old head of state won the first round on October 20 with 42.45 percent of the vote against ten other candidates. Her rival Stoianoglo (57), who wants economic relations with Russia as well as EU integration, achieved 25.98% of the vote. Security authorities in Moldova had uncovered disinformation and voter buying by pro-Russian forces in the run-up to the election.
Moldova has around 2.5 million inhabitants. Hundreds of thousands of Moldovans living abroad - mainly in the EU - and in the breakaway Russian-controlled region of Transnistria were also called to vote.
Polling stations in the country are open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. (6 a.m. to 8 p.m. CEST). Meaningful results are expected late in the evening.
