Moldova Leader Set for First-Round Win, with 98% counted

Moldova's referendum on changing its constitution to commit to joining the European Union is proving to be a tight race. With 98% of the votes counted, the official results show the "Yes" votes at 50.08% and the "No" votes at 49.92%.

The final result of the vote was expected to favor EU membership in the country of 2.6 million people, located between Romania and Ukraine. However, incumbent pro-EU President Maia Sandu expressed concern over the narrow margin, labeling it as a result of foreign interference. She described the situation as an "unprecedented assault on democracy," highlighting allegations that Russia funded efforts to influence the vote, which Moscow has denied.

In addition to the referendum, Moldovans participated in the presidential election on the same day. The elections are seen as critical for Moldova's future, as the country weighs the choice between continuing its path toward EU membership or maintaining close ties with Russia.

In the first round of the presidential election, Sandu received 41% of the votes, a lower-than-expected result, which means she will face a challenging second round in early November. Her opponents are likely to unite against her in this runoff. Sandu accused "criminal groups" and "foreign forces" of colluding to manipulate the election with money, lies, and propaganda. She claimed to have "clear evidence" that 300,000 votes were bought, describing it as "a fraud of unprecedented scale." The Kremlin has firmly denied any involvement in these allegations.

Despite the uncertain referendum outcome, Moldova will continue its EU accession talks, as the vote is not legally binding. However, the result adds an element of uncertainty to the process.

The second round of the presidential election will take place on November 3, with Sandu competing against the second frontrunner, Aleksandr Stoianoglo, who received 27% of the vote—significantly higher than anticipated. Populist candidate Renato Usatii came in third, followed by Irina Vlah, the former governor of Gagauzia. Should the other candidates support Stoianoglo before the runoff, Sandu could face a serious challenge in her re-election bid.

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