Elections open in Moldova’s fast-paced elections amid corruption concerns News of elections

Moldovan polls opened on Sunday morning with voters eager to elect a new parliament when new President Maia Sandu disbanded her predecessor to pit new President Maia Sandu against pro-Russian forces.

The polls opened on Sunday at 07:00 (04:00 GMT) and will close at 21:00, with initial results expected a few hours later.

Sandu, who wants Moldova to join the European Union, defeated Kremlin-backed incumbent Igor Dodon in November in a bid to fight corruption in one of Europe’s poorest countries.

Collected between Ukraine and Romania’s EU members, Moldova has long been divided over closer relations with Brussels or maintaining relations with Moscow during the Soviet era.

With Dodon blocking Sandu’s reform promises with lawmakers, the former World Bank economist dissolved parliament in April and scheduled a quick vote.

“We need to finish what we started this Sunday and take the second step. This is an opportunity for each of us to choose honest and responsible leadership, ”Sandu said in a speech before the vote.

“It is time to cleanse the people of clans, corrupt officials and manipulators,” said Sandu, who wants to review the judicial system, increase salaries and pensions and change the constitution to facilitate the punishment of corruption.

The slogans resonate with many Moldovans, who in recent years have seen political crises see their country, among other things, a $ 15 billion bank fraud scheme equivalent to almost 15% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

“He really wants to change the country,” Natalia Cadabnuic, a young woman from Chisinau, told AFP news agency.

Sandu, who was also a brief prime minister, has become a “symbol of change” for many Moldovans, said political analyst Alexei Tulbure and the country’s former ambassador to the United Nations.

Adding that Moldovans are tired of corrupt politicians, he said Sandu is the first to put himself at the top by “maintaining the reputation of being honest first”.

Russian influence in the game

Twenty parties and two election blocs are running in Sunday’s election. They must exceed the limit set at 5 per cent and 7 per cent of the vote to obtain seats in single-chamber assemblies respectively.

101 MPs will be elected for a four-year term.

Ilan Shor’s party, which has been convicted of fraud and money laundering in connection with the billion-dollar bank scandal, is also among more than 20 parties and blocs running in the election – including independents. Shor denies the wrongs.

Entering the ballot, he led the center-right party of Action and Solidarity in Sand (PAS).

Recent polls showed that compared to 35-37% of the PAS vote, it was 21-27% against the Socialist-Communist coalition party led by Dodon and former President Vladimir Voronin.

These figures are taken only by voters living in a country of 2.6 million people.

Analysts say the diaspora, which is more than a third of Moldova’s eligible voters and has already put support behind Sandu in polls, may have the key to the outcome.

It is estimated that the diaspora could bring another 10-15 percentage points to Sandu’s party.

Analysts say the election is likely to be a blow to Russia, as Moldova wants to stay in its sphere of influence.

“The majority will be pro-European, and Russia’s influence will be weakened,” said Sergiy Gerasymchuk, a Kyiv-based expert on Moldovan politics.

Sandu has already angered the Kremlin by proposing the removal of a Russian military garrison stationed in Transnistria, a Russian fugitive state located on the country’s eastern border with Ukraine.

Russia’s pro-Russian Dodon accused the authorities of preparing “provocations” on Friday and called on his supporters to be ready to protest to “defend” the victory of his bloc.