Moldova: Maia Sandu’s secret passenger

There was a slight scare for Moldova’s European aspirations on 20 October, when two essential elections for the way forward for the nation came about: the presidential election and a referendum on integration with the European Union.

Outgoing President Maia Sandu (Motion and Solidarity Social gathering, centre-right) got here out on prime within the first spherical of the presidential election, with 42.31 p.c of the vote. The professional-European candidate, who was up towards eleven different candidates, should face Alexander Stoianoglo (pro-Russian opposition, 26.7 p.c of the vote) in a troublesome second spherical on 3 November.

Within the referendum on European integration, the Sure aspect received by a hair’s breadth, with 50.41 p.c of the vote, largely because of the involvement of the big, largely pro-European Moldovan diaspora.

The surprisingly shut contest – polls had predicted a barely greater lead for the Sure aspect – was partly defined by the Moldovan authorities’ accusations that Russia was attempting to meddle within the elections in favour of the pro-Kremlin opposition. Though these assaults haven’t but been backed up by proof, they echo the various investigations of latest months which have revealed an unlimited community of pro-Russian interference inside the nation.

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