Chisinau, Moldova (AP) – Moldova of Moldova has cast votes in tense parliamentary elections plagued by claims of Russian interference, in tension parliamentary elections plagued by votes deemed to be a choice to integrate with the European Union or a choice to drift into the Moscow fold.
The pivotal vote on Sunday elected a new 101-seat parliament, and then the president of Moldova can generally appoint a prime minister from a major political party or bloc, which can attempt to form a new government. The proposed government will require parliamentary approval.
“I was born after Moldova’s independence, and I think it is the most important election in Moldova’s history,” said economist Christian Iftody.
The poll opened at 7am and ended at 9pm, the Central Election Commission reported that over a million people, or about 35% of eligible voters, voted by 3pm.
Pro-Western and pro-Russian political parties spit it out
The race has been a majority in Western Action and Solidarity Party, or a parliamentary party since 2021, but risk losing it, but against Russian-friendly adversaries, the viable pro-European partner pits PAS that maintains the geographical course the country takes, leaving behind uncertainty about potential outcomes and geopolitical courses.
After casting her vote, Western Moldova President Maia Sandhu claimed that Russia had “interfered on a massive scale” in the election, and she voted “to maintain peace” and said that her country’s future is within the EU.
“Russia poses a risk to our democracy. Our democracies are young and vulnerable, but that doesn’t mean that states with longer democracies are not at risk. We want to live in democracy,” she said. “Today, in our country, democracy is in the hands of Moldovan. Only they can save the Republic of Moldova.”
Moldova is inland between Ukraine and Romania, the European Union member. country Of the approximately 2.5 million people, shortly after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, they won candidate positions in the EU in 2022, with about 2.5 million people spending on westbound roads.
The fear of Russian interference
A few days of the voting on Sunday, Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Ressine warned Russia is spending “hundreds of millions of euros” as part of the allegations of the hybrid war to try to take away the power he described as “the ultimate battle for our country’s future.”
“I call for all the Moldovans in our homes and across Europe. We can’t change what Russia does, but we can change what we do as people,” he said. “Turn your worries into mobilisation and thoughtful behavior… Help them stop their plans.”
The alleged Russian strategy includes large-scale voting buying operations, cyber attacks, plans to incite large-scale riots during elections, and A vast online disinformation campaign It reduces support for the pro-European ruling party and shakes voters over Moscow-friendly things.
Russia repeatedly denied interference in Moldova and dismissed allegations last week as “anti-Russian” and “bassed”;
Officials warn that Moldova’s election day could be targeted by false bomb threats, cyber attacks, temporary power outages and street violence by trained individuals. Police conducted it just before the vote. Hundreds of attacksrestrains the score.
In a statement, Moldova’s Foreign Ministry said the bomb threat targeted polling stations established in several cities overseas. They included Rome and Genoa in Italy, Bucharest in Romania, Asheville in North Carolina, Alicante in Spain, and Brussels.
“The bomb threat has just begun, as authorities have warned previously as part of the Russian Federation’s attack on the election process,” the ministry said, adding that they worked together with their partners to avoid impacting the vote.
Moldova’s information technology and cybersecurity services said the cyberattacks targeted election infrastructure and government cloud services. “All attacks were detected and neutralized in real time without affecting the election process,” he said.
The importance of diaspora voters
Moldova Big diaspora It is expected to play a crucial role in the results on Sunday. Last year’s presidential outflow was also considered an Eastern and West choice, but 327,000 voters voted overseas, with over 82% of whom supported Sandhu and ultimately secured re-election.
A key opponent of the PAS in Sunday’s election is the patriotic election bloc of Russia, a group of political parties seeking “friendship with Russia” and “permanent neutrality.” Others say they are pro-Europeans with our party, a populist who wants a “balanced foreign policy” between the East and West, but critics say they seek close ties with Moscow.
Former president and patriotic election bloc member Igor Dodon said Sunday’s election was “a day people aren’t afraid of, but others are afraid of people.”
Voters’ concerns may have reduced pro-EU camps
As the country has come to a crisis, Moldovan faces rampaging inflation, instability from the wars next door, increasing costs of living and a high poverty rate.
Most local polls show that PAs get the most votes, but Moldova’s big diaspora is not included, leaving around a third of voters undecided. In the 2021 parliamentary elections, voter turnout was just 48%.
“Personally, for the rest of our country, it’s a very tough choice,” said Igor Mikhailov, a 26-year-old student from Chisinau. “My main priority is that our government is for the benefit of the people, not for their own interests.”
Iulian Groza, executive director of the Institute for European Policy Reform Think Tanks, says the higher the voter turnout, the more likely the PA will be to secure a majority.
“Government parties tend to erode with public support, and over the past four years Moldova has experienced multiple crises,” he said. “Four years from now… I think it can be very clear that despite all the crises, Moldova has resisted this Russian attack.”
