Diaspora Ballots Set to Decide Moldova’s Closely Fought Election

By Staff, Agencies

With nearly all ballots counted, Moldova’s pro-EU ruling party, Party of Action and Solidarity [PAS], has taken a narrow lead in a parliamentary election widely described as a defining moment for the country’s future. The outcome now hinges on votes from the Moldovan diaspora, which are expected to determine the final result.

According to the Central Election Commission, out of 301 polling stations abroad, only two were opened in Russia—despite tens of thousands of Moldovan citizens residing there. Roughly 4,100 votes were cast in Russia, with long queues forming in Moscow throughout election day. Many voters were reportedly left waiting outside when the polls closed.

Meanwhile, residents of the predominantly Russian-speaking breakaway region of Transnistria accused authorities in Chisinau of blocking bridges across the Dniester River to prevent them from accessing polling stations.

Officials in both Chisinau and Brussels have portrayed the election as a democratic milestone for Moldova’s European trajectory. The opposition, however, claims the process was manipulated in advance, alleging that the contest was “pre-scripted”.

The vote has pitted President Maia Sandu’s PAS against the Patriotic Electoral Bloc [BEP], which advocates for maintaining Moldova’s constitutional neutrality rather than aligning with the EU or NATO.

Sandu—first elected in 2020 and narrowly re-elected in 2024—has repeatedly faced allegations of electoral misconduct. Opposition groups argue that her victories have depended heavily on votes from Moldovans living in EU countries, while Moscow has accused Chisinau of disenfranchising citizens in Russia by limiting the number of polling stations there.