Pro-European candidate Maia Sandu won the presidential election of Moldova. This victory, after a repeat presidential vote, was difficult and marginal.
Moldova’s new president, who had tried to push for the country to join the European Union, defeated Alexander Stojanoglu, a former attorney general, who is backed by the traditionally pro-Russian Socialist Party. The vote was marred by allegations of Moscow meddling in the election, which Moscow denies.
The election also revealed underlying public grievances.
Sandu won with 55.33% of the total votes, only because of the strong support of Moldovans who voted from abroad. Within the country’s borders, he lost by a narrow margin.
Russophile side: He speaks of a “president of the diaspora” and “forgery”
Alexander Stoyanoglou’s Socialist Party has said it does not consider her presidency legitimate. While he called her “president of the diaspora” and unleashed accusations of widespread fraud.
And the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Monday that the presidential elections of Moldova were the “more anti-democratic» in the country’s post-Soviet history.
Maria Zakharova in her comment also stated that the result revealed a “deep division” in Moldovan society.
«It would not be an exaggeration to say that this was the most anti-democratic election campaign in all the years of Moldova’s independence.”said Zakharova.
“Tits distinguishing features were the unprecedented repression of the opposition and independent media, mainly Russian-speaking media, by the authorities and the overt interference of the West in the electoral process“, she added.
Zakharova pointed out that the polarization revealed by the result “it was caused by the short-sighted policy of the country’s leaders and the overt intervention of the West”.
Sandou has long denounced Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and has now accused Moscow of a possible plot to topple her government. After the first round of elections last month, she denounced a campaign to bribe voters to vote against her, but also to cast a no vote in the referendum on joining the European Union, which passed by a narrow majority.
Sandou’s unifying call
Moldova’s new president has vowed to turn things around after a narrow victory ahead of key parliamentary elections next summer.
“AI fully understand that this vote was also driven by the need for change – changes society was waiting for. I want you to know – I heard all the voices, including the critics,” Sandou said in her victory speech.
He promised to be “president for all of you”asking citizens to overcome their grudges and resentment and unite to protect the country, which he said had been targeted by massive election interference.
Source: Reuters
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