Moldovans Choose Between East and West in Presidential Elections

Moldova will host a Presidential run-off election in November, following the initial vote on October 30 that produced no clear winner. Pro-Russian, socialist frontrunner Igor Dodon will go head-to-head against pro-European, reformist candidate Maia Sandu. Dodon narrowly missed out on the 51 percent threshold that would have made him the outright winner of the election. He captured just 48.23 percent of the votes cast, with 99.5 percent of the ballots counted as of October 31, reports Radio Free Europe. Sandu secured only 38.42 percent and claimed that one of her key demographics was suppressed. She said that the youth vote was “impeded,” according to the BBC, giving no further explanation.

A likely Dodon victory is sure to bring a reorientation of Moldova back into Moscow’s sphere of influence and away from Europe. Radio Free Europe reports that the 41 year-old candidate previously stated that he would scrap his nation’s 2014 Association Agreement with the European Union, favoring instead a “strong partnership and good relations with Russia.”

Following the first vote, Dodon attempted to rally supporters of other pro-Russian parties that fared less well in the vote to support his candidacy.

Dodon announced on October 31 that the results of the election prove that “voters no longer believe in this government,” claiming his victory was inevitable. Pro-European Union governments have ruled Moldova since 2009. Recently, the capital Chisinau has been riddled with accusations of corruption. In 2014, roughly $1 billion disappeared from the country’s banking system.

Moldova has a difficult path to walk between East and West. The nation’s history of neutrality is enshrined in its constitution. However, the war in Eastern Ukraine and the Russian annexation of Crimea further complicate diplomatic issues. Moldova has its own pro-Russian separatist region: Transnistria, where thousands of Russian peacekeepers are stationed. Because of this, Chisinau cannot afford to offend Moscow, yet the government also relies significantly on European aid and trade.