Moldovan voters have re-elected Maia Sandu—who has promised to keep Moldova on the path to European Union membership—as the country’s president.
52-year-old Sandu received 55% of the vote, while her rival, former prosecutor Alexandr Stoianoglo, got 45% in the second round of the presidential election on Sunday, November 3rd.
Sandu had to rely on the large Moldovan diaspora for her victory, as 51% of domestic voters backed Stoianoglo.
The first round of voting and a referendum on EU membership two weeks ago was held amid accusations of Russian meddling. Sandu’s office once again accused Russia of “massive interference” in the second round. They cited reports of voters being taken to polling stations, cyberattacks, and bomb hoaxes reported at overseas polling stations in Europe.
As we previously reported, the pro-EU forces of Moldova, one of the poorest and most corrupt countries in Europe, have been hastily pursuing EU membership since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The country—which is wedged between Ukraine and EU-member Romania and has a population of around 2.5 million—was granted EU candidate status in June 2022. The European Union opened accession talks in June this year.
While Sandu is adamantly pursuing EU membership by 2030, Stoianoglo had said he supported EU integration, but that he also wanted to develop ties with Russia in the national interest.
Stoianoglo rejected accusations that he is serving Moscow, and accused Sandu of failing to look out for the interests of ordinary Moldovans, citing the incompetent handling of the economy and high inflation caused by the effects of the COVID pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
The vote in Moldova comes a week after elections in Georgia, another EU candidate country. Georgian voters opted for the conservative Georgian Dream party, which has been in power for twelve years and advocates a balanced foreign policy—aiming to join the EU while maintaining a pragmatic relationship with Moscow.
While Georgians were chided for their choice—and for choosing a conservative party that embraces Christian values and rejects LGBT propaganda—Moldovans were praised by Western leaders.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen congratulated Maia Sandu on her re-election and for steering the country towards a “European future.” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Sandu had “safely guided Moldova through difficult times and set her country’s European course.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose country is also an EU candidate country, congratulated Sandu, saying: “Only true security and a peaceful, united Europe can guarantee each person and every family the confidence to face tomorrow with hope and certainty.”
