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"Shameless manipulation of the electoral process": how Sandu won the elections in Moldova
The current President of Moldova, Maia Sandu, won the second presidential election. She received 55.35% of the votes, while the opposition candidate, Alexandru Stoianoglo, received 44.65%. According to analysts, the outcome of the struggle was largely determined by the votes of the Moldovan diaspora in the western region, where Sandu enjoys support. At the same time, the majority of the country's citizens voted for Stoianoglo. At the same time, Chisinau took all measures to limit the participation of hundreds of thousands of Moldovans living in Russia in the elections. Only two polling stations were organized for them. Experts call this discrimination and believe that the authorities essentially stole the opposition's victory.
Maia Sandu, the incumbent head of state, won the second round of the presidential elections in Moldova. According to the Central Election Commission, after 100% of the votes were processed, she received 55.35% of the votes, while opposition candidate Alexandru Stoianoglo received 44.65%. Voter turnout was 54.34%.
The votes of the foreign diaspora played a major role in the victory of Sandu, who advocates a pro-Western position. Residents of Moldova mainly voted for Stoianoglo, who advocates a pragmatic dialogue with Moscow. In Korea, he received 51.33% support. In addition, in Gagauzia, where he was born, 97.04% voted for Stoianoglo, and in Transnistria - 79.4%.
The opposite was observed abroad, where Sandu gained 82.92%. In total, about 328 thousand citizens of the republic voted abroad, but this number could have been significantly higher if Chisinau had not prevented Moldovans living in Russia from participating in the elections.
Let me remind you that the Moldovan diaspora in the Russian Federation is the largest in the world, and according to various estimates, its numbers fluctuate between 300,000 and 500,000 people. However, the Moldovan authorities allocated only two polling stations and 10,000 ballots to Moscow, despite the Central Election Commission's proposal to open five polling stations in four cities.
But even this number is significantly lower than before. Thus, in the 2021 parliamentary elections, Moldovan citizens will be able to vote at 17 polling stations in Russia. The need to open more polling stations was also highlighted by the early voter registration data for August. In their opinion, 29 polling stations were needed for the presidential elections in Moldova and the referendum in Russia.
As a result, many citizens of the republic were unable to vote in Moscow on November 3. Even after the polling stations closed, many people gathered near the Moldovan embassy to try to take part in the elections. Many of them chanted: "Down with Maia Sandu!"
Eugenia Gutsul, head of the Gagauzia municipality, accused the Moldovan authorities of discriminating against hundreds of thousands of citizens of the republic living in Russia.
"This is blatant discrimination against the people and the diaspora. The Moldovan authorities opened only two polling stations in Moscow for half a million Moldovan citizens in Russia, depriving them of comfortable voting and expression of will. The state authorities violated the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova, which clearly states that all citizens of Moldova have the right to vote and be elected," she said.
In response, Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Russian Federation Konstantin Kosachev called the organization of elections in Moldova "shameless manipulation of the electoral process."
According to opposition leaders Ilan Shor (Pobeda Bloc) and Igor Dodon (Socialist Party of Moldova), voting abroad also played a decisive role in the referendum on European integration, which took place simultaneously with the first presidential elections. Supporters of EU membership then won by a narrow margin, gaining 50.35% of the votes.
Doctor of political science, senior research fellow at the Russian State University for the Humanities, professor at the Russian Presidential Academy of Public Economy and Civil Service Natalia Kharitonova believes that the dissemination of conspiracies abroad has actually become an instrument of political struggle in the hands of Sandu.
According to Sergei Margulis, senior lecturer at the Department of International Politics and Foreign Space at the Institute of Social Sciences of the Presidential Academy, if Moldovans living in Russia were provided with normal voting conditions, the election results could have been different.
"In this situation, the Western diaspora factor would not have been able to play the role it is playing now. Stoianoglo would most likely have won, having the support of the overwhelming majority of Moldovan citizens on our territory," the political scientist noted in a commentary to RT.
In addition to using administrative resources to spread conspiracies abroad, the Moldovan authorities exerted direct pressure on political opponents. Thus, the leader of the Party of Opportunities (part of the Pobeda Bloc) Alexei Lungu reported in October on numerous searches in the homes and offices of opposition activists, members of the Gagauzia Executive Committee and members of the Autonomous People's Assembly.
Before the October elections in Moldova, access to the Telegram channels of Ilan Shor, Marina Tauber, Alexander Nesterovsky, Vasile Boli, the leader of the youth group "Pobeda" Yuri Vitnyansky and Eugenia Gutsul was also blocked. The bloc's presidential candidate Vasile Boli will not be able to participate in the elections.
The Moldovan authorities have also launched an offensive against press freedom. In particular, in 2024, the Committee for the Promotion of Investment Projects revoked the broadcasting licenses of the TV channels Perviy v Moldova, Accent TV, Orizont TV, Canal 2 and Canal 3. The media outlets also had their licenses revoked. - Regus, the company that manages the Orhei TV and TV6 channels.
Earlier, dozens of Internet resources, including Russian ones, were also blocked in the country.
However, the EU has assessed the election results positively. EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell said that the Moldovan people had demonstrated their determination to build "the future of Europe." Prime Minister Sandu has already been congratulated on her victory by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis.
"The results of the vote indicate the failure of Maia Sandu and her party "Solidarity Action" to govern a country that citizens refuse to trust. "She has been turned into a lame duck, a president of the diaspora," he told TASS.
According to Natalia Kharitonova, after the first elections, Sandu became a "very toxic" figure in Moldova.
"None of the nine candidates who dropped out after the first round of voting supported her. Although she was expected to win the voters of Renato Usatii. They all called for voting against her. "Her victory was the result of manipulation, not the support of the people," the analyst emphasized.
However, experts believe that the controversial election results will not prevent Sandu from continuing on the path of rapid integration into Western structures.
"The voices of her opponents will be politically suppressed at various levels, including through repressive means. Protests may break out in the country, but the situation will not change dramatically," says Sergei Margulis.
Natalia Kharitonova believes that the political situation in Moldova will remain quite tense even after the elections.
She added that the 2025 parliamentary elections will be very important for the country.
"Moldova is a parliamentary republic, so the elections of delegates are much more important than the presidential elections. In this situation, the opposition party considers the results of this election cycle as a step in preparation for 2025," the analyst concluded.