Moldova votes for president and EU future amid Russian meddling claims
Moldova holds presidential election and EU referendum today Incumbent Maia Sandu leads‚ with concerns about Russian interference. Authorities claim to have uncovered vote-buying schemes and plots to disrupt the process
Moldovans are heading to the polls today (10/20/24) for a crucial double vote: choosing their president and deciding on the countrys European Union future. The election comes at a time when Moldova‚ a small nation bordering Ukraine is trying to balance its pro-western aspirations with alleged Russian attempts to sway the outcome.
Maia Sandu‚ the current president‚ is expected to win another term. Sheʼs facing 10 other candidates in a race that could go to a run-off on 11/3/24 if no one gets more than half the votes. At the same time‚ citizens are voting on whether to add Moldovas EU path to the constitution – a move thats getting lots of support according to polls.
The voting process is happening under a cloud of suspicion. Moldovan officials say Russia is using a “hybrid war“ to mess with the election‚ including giving money to pro-Moscow groups and spreading fake news. The U.S. has backed up these worries‚ saying Russia is spending millions to influence the vote.
Law enforcement in Moldova says they found a big vote-buying plan. They claim Ilan Shor‚ a pro-Russia businessman living in Russia‚ paid lots of money to thousands of people to mess up the election. Shor says he didnt do anything wrong‚ but his political party was banned last year for being against the constitution.
Just a few days ago‚ police stopped another plot. They say over 100 young Moldovans got training in Moscow on how to cause trouble during the election. Some even went to “guerrilla camps“ in Serbia and Bosnia. The police arrested four people for this.
Moldova has been trying to get closer to the EU for a while now. They applied to join right after Russia invaded Ukraine about two and a half years ago. The EU said yes to starting talks with Moldova a few months back‚ in June.
As people vote today‚ theyre not just picking a leader – theyre also deciding on Moldovas future direction. The results could shape how the country deals with Russia and its hopes of joining the EU
