Voters in Moldova went to polling stations for parliamentary elections on Sunday (July 11), and the new president Maia Sandu called for her to strengthen her opposition to pro-Russian forces.
Sandu, who wanted Moldova to join the European Union, defeated the current Kremlin-backed President Igor Dodon in November last year. He promised to eradicate corruption in one of Europe’s poorest countries.
Moldova, sandwiched between Ukraine and EU member Romania, has long been divided over establishing closer relations with Brussels or maintaining Soviet-era relations with Moscow. This country has the status of an associated country of the EU and is a member of the EU Eastern Partnership.
But Sandu’s hands have been constrained by the parliament’s loyalty to Doton.
After a protracted power struggle with legislators, Santo successfully dissolved the parliament and arranged a temporary poll at the end of April.
The 48-year-old former World Bank economist’s ambitions resonated with supporters tired of corruption scandals.
Yelena Ranga, a 43-year-old teacher, told AFP: “She may not have done much yet, but we know she is honest and clean.”
“In the end, we are not ashamed of our president, we are proud.”
For Sandu, if her plan as president is to be realized, Sunday’s vote will be crucial.
In Moldova, the president “can hardly do anything without a parliament, which is why the risks of these elections are so high,” political analyst and former ambassador to the United Nations Alexei Tulbre told AFP.
‘Symbol of change’
The Center-Right Action and Solidarity (PAS) Party of Sandu took the lead in the voting.
According to the latest opinion polls, the PAS has a 35-37% vote against the party rivals of the Socialist and Communist Alliance led by Doton and former President Vladimir Voronin, while the party’s Competitors have 21-27% of votes.
These figures only take into account voters who live in this country of approximately 2.6 million people.
Diasporas, who account for more than one-third of eligible voters in Moldova, have already supported Sandu during the presidential election. According to estimates, this may add another 10-15% to her party.
Turbule said that Sandu, who served as prime minister for a short time, has become a “symbol of change” for many Moldovans in the country, which is “tired” by old corrupt politicians.
“In Moldova, corruption is not a crime, but a way of life,” he said.
“After 30 years of destruction and degradation, people are waiting for this country to finally start moving in the right direction.”
Despite strong support, it is not clear whether Sandu will win the majority of seats needed to form a new government.
Aleksandr Volodin, a 72-year-old retiree, will vote for the group led by Dodon and Voronin. He told AFP: “She promised a lot, but did very little .”
Analysts say that if Sandu fails to get a majority, she can still form an alliance with populist businessman Renato Usatyi.
A blow for Moscow
Analysts said that Sunday’s election is likely to cause a blow to Russia, and Russia wants Moldova to stay within its sphere of influence.
“Most people will be pro-European, and Russia’s influence will diminish,” said Sergey Gerasimchuk, a Kiev expert on Moldova’s political issues.
Doton recently warned that her victory in the parliamentary elections could “turn Moldova into a puppet of the West against Russia.”
One way Sandu angered the Kremlin was to propose the removal of the Russian garrison stationed along the Dniester River, a pro-Russian secession country that straddles the eastern border between Russia and Ukraine.
She hopes that the Russian army will be replaced by observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
Twenty political parties and two electoral groups are participating in Sunday’s elections.
They must pass the 5% and 7% vote thresholds respectively to obtain seats in the unicameral parliament.
101 MPs will be elected for a four-year term.
