On Sunday‚ Moldovans will cast their ballots in a crucial presidential election and EU referendum‚ marking a significant moment for the small eastern European nation. The vote comes at a time when Moldova is trying to strengthen its ties with the West while dealing with claims of outside meddling.
Maia Sandu‚ the current pro-Western president is expected to keep her position. However if she doesnt get more than half the votes‚ thereʼll be another round of voting in two weeks. The referendum‚ which asks people if they want to join the European Union needs at least a third of voters to take part to be valid.
This vote is happening while thereʼs a war going on next door in Ukraine. This has made Moldova want to move away from Russiaʼs influence even more. Since Sandu became president about four years ago‚ Moldova has been trying hard to join the EU and has had worse relations with Moscow.
The election process hasnt been smooth sailing. There have been reports of attempts to influence voters:
- Messages from abroad telling people not to vote
- A rich businessman living in Russia allegedly trying to pay people to vote a certain way
- Claims of a plan to cause trouble on election day
Our fate is decided on Sunday. Everyoneʼs vote matters‚ no matter where we are
The police chief‚ Viorel Cernauteanu‚ says theyʼve done what they can to stop these problems but admits there might still be some impact.
Whats decided on Sunday could change Moldovas direction for years to come. It might affect how the country deals with Russia‚ its chances of joining the EU‚ and even how people vote in next years parliament election