Moldovans head to polls to decide if the future lies with Russia or the west

Moldovans head to the polls tomorrow for a presidential election and an EU referendum that will mark a pivotal moment in the tug-of-war between Russia and the west over the future of the small, landlocked south-eastern European country with a population of 3 million.

- Piotr Sauer

The pro-western president, Maia Sandu, hopes to advance her agenda by winning a second term and securing a yes vote in a referendum to affirm EU accession as an irreversible goal in the constitution.

Since the breakup of the Soviet Union, Moldova has oscillated between pro-western and pro-Russian courses, but under Sandu the country has accelerated its push to escape Moscow's orbit amid its war in neighbouring Ukraine.

Sandu, a former World Bank official, was elected president in November 2020, riding a wave of popularity as an anti-corruption reformer with a pro-European agenda.

Polls tip Sandu to win in the first round and suggest that up to 65% of voters support joining the EU, though the sitting president could face a more difficult path if forced into a second-round runoff.

Sandu and her allies have warned that the election outcomes could be affected by a large-scale influence campaign of vote-buying and misinformation orchestrated by Russia and its proxies. In particular, they accuse the fugitive pro-Russian businessman Ilan Shor, a vocal opponent of EU membership, of running a destabilising campaign from Moscow.

Olga Roșca, a foreign policy adviser to Sandu, said: “Russia is pouring millions in dirty money to hijack our democratic processes. This isn't just meddling - it's full-blown interference aimed at destabilising our future. And it is alarming.”