Today at 17:30
The current pro-Western president of Moldova, Maia Sandu, has been re-elected for a second term, leading by more than 10 percentage points over her opponent, Alexandr Stoianoglo, the candidate from the pro-Russian Socialist Party.
After 99.55% of the votes were counted, Sandu led in the second round with 55.26% support (924,351 votes), while Stoianoglo received 44.74% (748,263 votes). Sandu’s margin over Stoianoglo exceeded 176,000 votes.
A total of 1,698,813 Moldovan citizens participated in the election.
According to “European Pravda,” counting 100% of the votes cast at polling stations within Moldova indicated that Stoianoglo would have won without the diaspora vote. Within Moldova, he received 51.19% (692,533 votes), while Sandu had 48.81% (660,226 votes).
In Chișinău, Sandu led with 57.38% of the votes, winning in all districts except the traditionally more pro-Russian Botanica district.
In the diaspora, Sandu won by a substantial margin. Abroad, where 96% of the protocols have been counted as of this morning, she received 82.58% of the votes (264,125 votes), while Stoianoglo received 17.42% (55,730 votes).
The election was marked by several incidents, including threats targeting four polling stations in the diaspora, which supports Sandu.
Additionally, unknown individuals threatened to “bomb” a bridge used by voters coming from Transnistria.
President Maia Sandu of Moldova, who has been re-elected for a second term, commented on her victory in the presidential election’s second round.
Sandu delivered a statement from her campaign headquarters.
She noted that Moldova had demonstrated its resolve, proving that by coming together, “we can defeat those who sought to humiliate us.”
“Moldova faced an unprecedented attack in European history: dirty money, illegal vote-buying, interference by criminal groups in the election process, and the spread of hatred and fear in our society. But our people united, and the citizens won,” the president declared.
She also addressed voters in Russian, acknowledging that she heard the voices of both those who supported her and those who voted for her opponent, the pro-Russian Socialist Party candidate Alexandr Stoianoglo. Sandu pledged to be a president for everyone.
“In our choice of a worthy future, no one loses. We may have different viewpoints, speak different languages, but we all want peace, mutual understanding, and a decent life for our children. This is my main goal for Moldova in the coming years. We need societal unity,” Sandu said in Russian.
Sandu won re-election with more than a 10-point lead over Stoianoglo.
Her victory was largely due to strong support from the diaspora. The vote count within Moldova confirmed that Stoianoglo would have won without the diaspora’s votes.
Read also: Moldova has warned EU countries about Russia’s plans to disrupt diaspora voting, – Reuters
