Site menu Main Page USA UK Canada Australia Where is? Videos Articles

Posted on Oct 21, 2024 / Politics

Incumbent President Maia Sandu failed to win in the first round and accused "criminal groups" of opponents of European integration of falsifications

None of the candidates overcame the 50% barrier in the presidential elections in Moldova held on October 20, according to preliminary results from the central electoral commission. This means that the country will hold a second round of elections. It is scheduled for November 3.

The second round will see the incumbent President Maia Sandu (with almost 100% of the ballots counted, she received 42.31%) and former Prosecutor General Alexandru Stoianoglo (26.07%). He is supported by the Socialist Party of former President of the Republic Igor Dodon. If he wins, Stoianoglo has promised to pursue a “balanced” foreign policy, including ties with the EU, the US, Russia and China. Of the other nine presidential candidates, only one managed to get more than 10% - Renato Usatii, who received 13.80% of the votes.

Sandu’s headquarters were disappointed with the results of the first round. The BBC describes the mood of the headquarters on Sunday evening as “extremely depressed”. One of the incumbent president’s advisers described Sandu’s result as “not what we expected”.

On the same day, a referendum was held in Moldova on amending the constitution to join the European Union. The "yes" option, which Sandu herself called for voting for, received slightly more than half of the votes - 50.42%. This is significantly less than what the polls predicted and what Sandu's supporters expected.

The opponents of European integration were in the lead almost until the end of the vote count. According to Politico, the "no" option was voted for mainly within the country. However, the result was then changed by the votes cast by Moldovan citizens living abroad. Several presidential candidates boycotted the referendum. Alexandru Stoianoglo said that he does not support the idea of ​​changing the constitution, although he added that he is a supporter of the "European aspirations" of his country.

During the count, when the opponents of European integration were in the lead, Sandu announced an attempt at falsification. According to her, "criminal groups" working with "foreign forces" hostile to the interests of Moldova intended to buy 300 thousand votes. Sandu called it “fraud on an unprecedented scale” and said her team had evidence of the rigging.

Evidence of vote buying was also seen by BBC journalists at a polling station in Transnistria, a region with strong Russian influence. A BBC producer overheard a woman who had just cast her ballot asking an election observer where she would be paid. On the street, journalists asked her if she had been offered money to vote, and she “admitted it without hesitation.” However, the man who had promised her money did not answer her calls. When asked who she voted for, the woman did not answer.

The European Commission said that the vote in Moldova took place “in conditions of unprecedented interference and intimidation by Russia and its proxies aimed at destabilizing democratic processes.”

Please share the link with friends and neighbors:

Check out some more news:

Is Joe Biden vegan? Is he Irish? Was he ever republican? Biden answers the top questions!

Which rules do the former US presidents have to follow?

Erase and rewind: Which Trump's decisions and orders did Joe Biden undo? The full list!

Hamas leader elections not to be held before March 2025

Why do they need an Electoral College to elect the president? A simple answer!

What does AUKUS stand for? Let me explain!

Will Biden run for a second term as US president?

What is Casus Belli? Translation to English and usage examples

What is Fascism? Who is fascist? Read the definition and meaning!

What is geopolitics? The definition, the meaning, the examples!