Maia Sandu wins second term in Moldovan election in rebuke to Kremlin

[muriel_volestrangler]

The pro-western incumbent Maia Sandu has won a second term in office in the Moldovan presidential election, preliminary results have shown, marking a significant boost for the country’s EU aspirations and a clear rebuke to Moscow.
...
The pro-western incumbent, Sandu, who has intensified the nation’s efforts to break away from Moscow’s influence, was facing the Kremlin-friendly political newcomer, Alexandr Stoianoglo, from the Socialist party, in the second round of voting on Sunday.

With 98% of the ballots counted, Sandu led with 54.35%, the Central Election Commission said. With only parts of the country’s diaspora vote still outstanding, analysts said that Sandu was all but guaranteed to win re-election.
...
For months, Sandu and her allies have accused Russia and its proxies of leading a large-scale campaign involving vote-buying and misinformation to sway the election.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/nov/03/moldovans-vote-in-presidential-runoff-amid-claims-of-russian-interference

Her rival Alexandr Stoianoglo, who was backed by the pro-Russian Party of Socialists, had promised a closer relationship with Moscow.

During the vote, 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.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz7w9dglzzlo

[Klarkashton]

1. !

That's it !

[Dave Bowman]

2. Congratulations to Maia Sandu.

We can't have enough allies.