Having initially looked like a neck-and-neck race, Russia’s pro-opposition Socialists (PSRM) led by President Igor Dodon won the parliamentary election in Moldova yesterday by a margin of several percentage points.
As the electoral commission of the country announced in the night on today after census of 85 percent of the votes cast, the socialists came to 31.41 percent. Thus, they are the strongest force in the new parliament. The pro-European ruling Democrats (PDM) of the oligarch Vlad Plahotniuc achieved only 25.35 percent. Plahotniuc is considered the wealthiest man in the impoverished country and the politician with the greatest influence. Russia accuses him of criminal machinations.
The pro-European electoral alliance ACUM (now), which has not yet been represented in parliament, achieved 24.62 percent. With 8.89 percent of the votes cast, the small party Shor of the eponymous oligarch managed to make the leap into parliament.
Fraud allegations overshadow choice
In view of the uncertain final election outcome, representatives of the three strongest parties raised fraud allegations. Thus, both sides accused each other that many voters and voters had been paid to vote from the Russia-controlled dissident conflict region of Transnistria. Election observers also spoke of a visible crowd at the polls.
