The preliminary results in the legislative elections of Moldova held this Sunday indicate a victory for the pro-European camp. The ruling party and solidarity party (PAS), led by President Maia Sandu, are currently in the lead with 48% of the votes, with over 95% of ballots scrutinized. The patriotic bloc, an alliance with ties to Moscow comprised of socialists, communists, and a future minority formation, secured second place with 25%. This outcome suggests the PAS will achieve an absolute majority in Parliament, holding at least 51 seats out of a total of 101.
The triumph of the pro-european formation exceeded predictions, especially considering the increasingly polarized society influenced by interference and Russian propaganda. The close victory of the ruling party in the October 2024 referendum on EU adhesion fueled concerns that the PAS was losing support amidst a severe economic crisis marked by rising electricity costs and 30% inflation. However, the continued support for this party demonstrates the Moldovan people’s desire to move towards the EU, with aspirations to join by 2030.
Many analysts viewed these elections as the most vital in the history of this former Soviet Republic, situated between Romania and Ukraine, determining whether it would pursue a European path or return to Russia’s orbit. Moldova is currently a candidate for EU membership.
Voter turnout reached 52% of the electorate by 9:00 PM local time (one hour behind mainland Spain), representing nearly 1.6 million people.
Prior to the results, authorities detected and neutralized cyberattacks targeting the central Electoral Commission (CEC) and several diaspora polling stations.
Prime Minister Dorin Recean stated that the Information and Safety Technology Service (STISC) had shut down approximately 4,000 websites and thwarted 16 million cyberattack attempts on Sunday night. “The attacks are concurrently orchestrated with the aim of overloading the STISC network, which serves the Central Electoral Commission and other election infrastructure,” he explained.
In Spain, the Alicante Electoral Section, located in a central hotel, was evacuated for over an hour due to a bomb threat around 1:00 PM. similar alerts were also reported in Romania, Italy, Belgium, and the United States.
Following the false bomb threats, President Sandu encouraged citizens to remain calm and participate in the democratic process.