Moldova’s pro-Brussels leader Maia Sandu is fighting to win a second term in Sunday’s presidential election against a challenger who wants closer ties with Moscow.
The vote comes only two weeks after she won an EU membership referendum by a razor-thin margin.
With Georgia embroiled in a disputed election which returned a pro-Kremlin party to power, the focus is now on Moldova, which lies between war-torn Ukraine and EU member Romania.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday called on Moldovans to continue on the path of EU integration ahead of the decisive runoff.
“At this decisive moment for Moldova and, together with it, for our Europe, I want to convey to the Moldovan citizens a message of courage and hope,” the French leader wrote on X.
Also Friday, the head of Moldova’s Election Commission said that several officials overseeing the first round of the country’s presidential election had been accused of corruption and would be replaced for Sunday’s runoff vote.
Russia has been accused of interfering in the elections of both Moldova and Georgia, allegations rejected by Moscow.
Ms Sandu said her camp “won justly in an unjust struggle” in the EU referendum on October 20 amid claims that pro-Russian opposition waged a disinformation campaign and vote-buying.
The 52-year-old former World Bank economist admitted she was in a “difficult fight” in the second round of the presidential vote, after taking nearly 42.5 % of the vote in the first round. Rival, Alexandr Stoianoglo, a former prosecutor backed by the pro-Russian Socialists, picked up a higher-than-expected 25.95%.
Sunday’s vote is likely to be a lot closer. Some pro-Russian candidates who ran in the first round have thrown their weight behind Stoianoglo, saying Moldova risked being dragged into war and becoming a second Ukraine.
However, Renato Usatii who placed third in the first round with nearly 14% has refused to endorse either candidate and told voters to pick who they wanted. He was critical of Rssian meddling and his neutrality should give Sandu a boost.
During his campaign, Stoianoglo, who Sandu fired as prosecutor, vowed to have a “balanced foreign policy” that would include both the EU and Russia.
The 57-year-old boycotted the referendum on the EU which he called a “parody.” The Socialists are now contesting the results.
Washington warned that Moscow “will again attempt to prevent Moldovans from exercising their sovereign right to choose their own leaders,” the government has been raising the alarm over “electoral fraud.”
Sandu has appealed to the judiciary to step up the fight against corruption, accusing “criminal groups” of trying to bribe up to 300,000 voters.
But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday strongly denied allegations that Moscow had been trying to meddle in the vote. He questioned the way Moldovan authorities had overseen the campaign.
Moldova’s presidential runoff this weekend could bring closer ties with Moscow
