Moldovans went to the polls on Sunday in a tense presidential election runoff that could play a key role in the country’s European future amid fears of Russian interference.
The vote in a country bordering war-torn Ukraine comes two weeks after a razor-thin “yes” in a referendum on joining the European Union.
Pro-EU incumbent Maia Sandu scored 42.5 percent of the vote in the first round of the presidential election two weeks ago. Alexandr Stoianoglo, supported by the pro-Russian Socialists and who was fired as prosecutor general by Sandu last year, received 26 percent.
But Stoianoglo has since gained the support of other defeated candidates and analysts are predicting a close battle, similar to Georgia’s vote last weekend when the ruling party narrowly won a contested parliamentary election.
In both ex-Soviet republics, Russia has been accused of seeking to sway voters. In each case it has rejected the claims.
