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Sandu is winning in 2nd round of Moldovan presidential elections with 55.04% — CEC

Votes at a number of polling stations abroad are yet to be counted

Moldova's incumbent leader Maia Sandu Veniamin Demidetki/TASS

Moldova's incumbent leader Maia Sandu

© Veniamin Demidetki/TASS

CHISINAU, November 4. /TASS/. Incumbent Moldovan President Maia Sandu is leading in the second round of presidential elections with 55.04%, while her rival Alexandru Stoianoglo has 44.96%, according to preliminary voting results published by the Central Election Commission after processing 98.92% of the protocols.

Votes at a number of polling stations abroad are yet to be counted, while in Moldova 100% of the protocols have been processed. According to the Central Election Commission, residents of the country voted predominantly for Stoianoglo, who received 51.19%. Sandu has 48.81%.

Meanwhile, after processing 89.18% of the protocols at polling stations outside Moldova, Sandu is leading with a result of 82.33%, while Stoianoglo has received 17.67%.

The current election campaign took place in the context of serious pressure from the authorities in Chisinau. Opposition politicians were regularly subjected to searches and detentions, criminal cases were repeatedly opened against them, and many media outlets were closed. In Russia, where, according to various estimates, from 30,000 to 500,000 Moldovans live, the leadership of the republic opened only two polling stations, and only in Moscow. As a result, many people, including those who came to Moscow to vote, had to stand in a huge line and eventually did not get to vote.

Commenting on the preliminary results of the elections, the former president, leader of the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova Igor Dodon told TASS that citizens living in their homeland have deprived Sandu of their trust and she has become a "lame duck".

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