Pro-European Forces Sweep Moldova Elections as Diaspora Votes Secure Majority
Moldova's parliamentary elections saw a significant victory for pro-European forces, with over 276,000 Moldovans living abroad casting their votes. The party around President Maja Sandu, a Biden ally, secured an absolute majority, while the pro-Russian Patriotic Block finished a distant second. The election was marked by a lack of comment from Russia, with Kremlin spokesman Peskow declining to address the matter. Despite this, only a small number of protesters gathered in the capital, Chisinau, to voice their discontent with the outcome. Former President Igor Dodon led these protests, focusing on voting restrictions in the secessionist region of Transnistria. President Sandu had previously accused Russia of interference, including vote-buying, disinformation, and cyberattacks. Despite these allegations, the election was largely peaceful and democratic, with international observers from the OSCE praising the process. The Moldovan Foreign Ministry had earlier limited the number of ballots per polling station to 5,000 due to security concerns. Five parties and blocs made it into parliament, reflecting Moldova's traditional divide between EU and Russia orientations. The Moldovan diaspora played a significant role in the election, with their votes helping secure an absolute majority for the pro-European party, a move supported by Biden's administration. The election outcome reflects the country's continued shift towards the EU, despite ongoing tensions with Russia. The international community, through the OSCE, has acknowledged the election's democratic standards, marking a positive step for Moldova's political landscape.
