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Pro-EU leader wins Moldova election despite alleged Russian meddling

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Pro-EU leader wins Moldova election despite alleged Russian meddling

Source: BBC

Moldova's pro-EU President Maia Sandu has claimed a second term after a tense election run-off seen as a choice between Europe and Russia. The Moldovan Central Electoral Commission confirmed Sandu's victory on Monday morning. With most votes counted Sandu had won 55%, and in a late-night speech on Sunday she promised to be president for all Moldovans. Her rival Alexandr Stoianoglo, who was backed by the pro-Russian Party of Socialists, had called for a closer relationship with Moscow. During the day the president's national security adviser said there had been "massive interference" from Russia in Moldova's electoral process that had "high potential to distort the outcome".

Russia had already denied meddling in the vote, which came a week after another key Eastern European election in Georgia, whose president said it had been a "Russian special operation". Stoianoglo, who was fired as prosecutor general by Sandu, has denied being pro-Kremlin. In a joint statement congratulating Sandu on her re-election, the European Commission and the EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell said there had been "unprecedented interference by Russia". As polls closed, both Sandu, 52, and her rival thanked voters, with Stoianoglo speaking in Russian as well as Romanian. Although Romanian is Moldova's main language, Russian is widely spoken because of its Soviet past.

Read here the full article published by the BBC on 4 November 2024.

Image by BBC

 

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Moldova's pro-EU President Maia Sandu has claimed a second term after a tense election run-off seen as a choice between Europe and Russia. The Moldovan Central Electoral Commission confirmed Sandu's victory on Monday morning. With most votes counted Sandu had won 55%, and in a late-night speech on Sunday she promised to be president for all Moldovans. Her rival Alexandr Stoianoglo, who was backed by the pro-Russian Party of Socialists, had called for a closer relationship with Moscow. During the day the president's national security adviser said there had been "massive interference" from Russia in Moldova's electoral process that had "high potential to distort the outcome".

Russia had already denied meddling in the vote, which came a week after another key Eastern European election in Georgia, whose president said it had been a "Russian special operation". Stoianoglo, who was fired as prosecutor general by Sandu, has denied being pro-Kremlin. In a joint statement congratulating Sandu on her re-election, the European Commission and the EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell said there had been "unprecedented interference by Russia". As polls closed, both Sandu, 52, and her rival thanked voters, with Stoianoglo speaking in Russian as well as Romanian. Although Romanian is Moldova's main language, Russian is widely spoken because of its Soviet past.

Read here the full article published by the BBC on 4 November 2024.

Image by BBC

 

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Focus areas