Moldovan elections: Europe focus amid Russian interference

Polling stations opened at 5:00 AM Greenwich Time. Voting will continue until 7:00 PM Greenwich Time.

In Moldova, 2,221 polling stations have been set up, including 30 designated for citizens residing in the unrecognised region of Transnistria. Residents of this separatist region can vote at polling stations in areas controlled by Chișinău.

Abroad, 231 polling stations have been established, which is over 100 more than in the previous elections.

According to the Central Electoral Commission (CEC), in the Chișinău district, including the suburbs, voters will be able to vote in 306 polling stations. A total of 2.8 million ballots were printed for domestic voting, with 850,000 designated for voters abroad.

For the first time, Moldovan citizens have the option of voting by mail in countries where regulations permit, namely the USA, Canada, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, and Finland.

11 candidates are participating in the elections: Alexandr Stoianoglo, Maia Sandu, Renato Usatii, Vasile Tarlev, Irina Vlah, Ion Chicu, Andrei Nastase, Octavian Ticu, Victoria Furtuna, Tudor Ulianovschi, and Natalia Morari.

In addition to the presidential election ballot, each voter will also receive a ballot for the constitutional referendum. The referendum concerns Moldova's accession to the EU and will be considered valid if at least one-third of the electorate participates.

Electioneering is prohibited on election day. The elections will be observed by 2,061 national and international observers accredited by the Central Electoral Commission (CEC).

A total of 1,277 observers represent five national organisations, with the majority being sent by the Promo-Lex Association.

The CEC has also accredited 784 international observers, with the largest group being a 253-member mission from ODHIR/OSCE.

Although most Moldovans support joining the EU, following Russia's attack on Ukraine, openly pro-Russian politics no longer align with the Moldovan mainstream. However, forces aligned with the Kremlin remain active, appealing to pro-Russian sentiments but often resorting to illegal activities.

Just before the elections in Moldova, Russian hybrid activities aimed at undermining the pro-Western government's policies became even more intense. These include information campaigns and illegal money transfers to the country on an unprecedented scale for pro-Russian activists and politicians and for buying votes.

In early October, police reported that in September alone, Russia illegally transferred over £12 million to Moldova for voter bribery. The money was sent through intermediaries, using bank accounts in Russia, with coordination conducted via bots on Telegram.