CHISINAU, October 21. /TASS/. The first round of the Moldovan presidential election failed to determine a winner.
The decision will come in the second round, scheduled for November 3, featuring incumbent President Maia Sandu and former Prosecutor General Alexandr Stoianoglo.
Meanwhile, the results of the referendum, which was held on the day of the elections, are still unclear. Data from polling stations abroad, which could decide the outcome of the referendum, are still coming in.
TASS has gathered the key news about the voting results.
Unconvincing lead
Sandu has 41.84% of the vote, while Stoianoglo holds 26.35%, according to preliminary results released by the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) after processing 100% of the protocols.
Our Party leader Renato Usatii rounds out the top three with 13.77% of the vote. He is followed by the former head of Gagauzia Irina Vlah and former prosecutor Victoria Furtuna holding 5.46% and 4.53% of the vote respectively, as well as by former prime ministers Vasile Tarlev (3.24%) and Ion Chicu (2.09%).
The first round of the Moldovan presidential election did not reveal a winner, as none of the candidates garnered 50% of the vote. The second round will be held on November 3. Sandu, as well as Stoianoglo, backed by Moldova's opposition Party of Socialists, will take part in the second round.
Referendum results
After processing 98.47% of the protocols, 50.09% of Moldovan citizens voted in favor of joining the EU in the referendum, while 49.91% voted against this initiative. Throughout the night, there were more opponents of the referendum, but by morning the balance shifted to the other side when polling stations in Western countries joined the counting.
A total of 1,546,757 people came to the polling stations in Moldova and abroad, representing 51.4% of those included in the electoral lists. Of these, 1,478,958 (49.81%) received ballots to participate in the referendum, while the rest abstained.
The referendum clearly failed in Moldova's Gagauz autonomy and in the polling stations where residents of unrecognized Transnistria voted. While in Transnistria 62.56% voted against the referendum, in Gagauzia 94.84% opposed it. No polling stations were established within Transnistria.
The observers believe that the referendum was designed to consolidate the electorate for Sandu's victory amid the economic crisis and opposition protests.
Polling stations in Moscow
In Russia, only two polling stations were opened at the Moldovan embassy in Moscow, reportedly due to security concerns at other locations. By contrast, during the 2020 elections, 17 polling stations were set up in various Russian cities.
Long queues formed at the polling stations throughout the day, with Moldovan citizens staging pickets to demand the fulfillment of their electoral rights. According to the Central Election Commission (CEC), these stations were the most congested during the elections.
Authorities' reaction
Prime Minister Dorin Recean stated that transportation of voters and distribution of gifts at the polling stations took place, which is prohibited by Moldovan law. Following the release of preliminary results, President Maia Sandu alleged interference in the democratic process by "criminal groups and external forces." She claimed to have evidence of attempts to bribe around 300,000 voters. Sandu stated that she would await the final results before deciding on further actions.
During the announcement of the preliminary election results and the referendum outcome, Sandu postponed addressing the press three times.
Opposition's estimate
Ilan Shor, leader of the opposition Victory bloc, claimed that President Maia Sandu had been defeated in the referendum on Moldova's accession to the EU. Over 2,000 observers, including representatives from the OSCE and other organizations, as well as foreign diplomats, monitored the election. However, representatives from Russia and CIS institutions were not invited to observe the process.
Moldova is a parliamentary republic, meaning the president requires the support of the legislature to exercise full authority. President Sandu has this backing from the Action and Solidarity Party, which controls the parliament and formed the current government. Observers note that the outcome of these elections, and the results Sandu received, will directly influence the parliamentary elections in 2025.