Today will decide the direction of Moldova: the election poster of the current president Maia Sandu.Image: trapezoid
In the former Soviet republic of Moldova, which aspires to join the European Union, people will elect a new head of state in run-off elections today.
Pro-European President Maia Sandu is running for a second term. The 52-year-old head of state defeated ten other candidates in the first round of the election on October 20 with 42.45% of the vote.
Now former Justice Minister Alexander Stoianoglo is challenging her. Two weeks ago, he received 25.98% of the vote, running against former president Igor Dodon of the pro-Moscow Socialist Party. The election results are considered public.
Alexander Stoianoglo is challenging Sandu for the presidency.Image: trapezoid
Moldova is located between EU members Romania and Ukraine, but is also heavily influenced by Russia. Like Ukraine, the country is a candidate for EU membership.
The pro-European Sandhu has been criticized for a lack of economic and social progress. Before the election, she announced that she would continue her reformist path. Many are also annoyed by rising energy costs after Sandu stopped using Russian gas. In addition to the EU line, 57-year-old Stoianoglo also hopes to establish good economic relations with Russia. Opponents see him as a puppet of corrupt oligarchs.
The Brexit referendum was held two weeks ago
Eligible voters in Moldova complained that they were being called in advance to vote for Stoianoglo. Security authorities in the capital, Chisinau, have also recently uncovered disinformation and voter buying practices by pro-Russian forces. Still, two weeks ago in the agricultural country, Sandu narrowly won a referendum on incorporating the EU line into the constitution, which was scheduled to coincide with the election. The decisive factor is the hundreds of thousands of Moldovans living abroad, especially in the EU.
Still, Sandu's supporters also criticized her for confusingly linking the presidential election to such an important constitutional referendum at an inappropriate time. Many EU supporters also boycotted the referendum, but there was no majority support for it in Moldova.
Moldova, with about 2.5 million inhabitants, has always been torn between the West and Russia. In addition to their own citizens, hundreds of thousands of Moldovans living abroad, mainly in the European Union and in the breakaway Transnistria region controlled by Russia, have also been asked to vote.
Polling stations in the country are open from 7am to 9pm (6am to 8pm CET). Dramatic results are expected later in the evening. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe also has election observers in the country. (Sudanese Development Authority/Department of Political Affairs)
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