MOLDOVA’S PRO-EU PARTY SECURES MAJORITY IN PARLIAMENT, DEFEATING PRO-RUSSIAN RIVALS. (PHOTO).

 Moldova’s pro-EU party secures majority in parliament, defeating pro-Russian rivals

Moldova’s pro-Western Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) scored a decisive victory in Sunday’s parliamentary elections, securing just over 50% of the vote and a projected 55 out of 101 seats in the legislature. The result delivers a clear majority to PAS and solidifies the country’s westward trajectory toward European Union membership, despite what Moldovan officials described as intense Russian efforts to interfere. The election was widely seen as a defining moment for the country, presenting voters with a stark choice between deepening ties with Europe or maintaining alignment with Moscow.

European leaders quickly praised the result as a powerful statement in favor of democracy and EU integration. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen applauded Moldovans for choosing “Europe, democracy, freedom” despite Russian disinformation campaigns. President Maia Sandu, who founded PAS in 2016, is expected to nominate current Prime Minister Dorin Recean to continue leading the government. Recean hailed the results as proof that Moldovans “demonstrated that their freedom is priceless and cannot be bought,” while warning that Moscow’s influence had created division that now needs to be healed.

Election day was marred by bomb threats at several polling stations abroad, alleged vote-buying schemes, and over 1,000 cyberattacks targeting electoral and government infrastructure. Authorities also detained three people suspected of plotting unrest after the vote. Despite these incidents, turnout reached 52.1%, including 280,000 votes from Moldovans abroad.

The win allows PAS to govern without forming a coalition, avoiding the instability that has often plagued Moldovan politics. PAS campaigned on signing an EU accession treaty by 2028, doubling incomes, modernizing infrastructure, and fighting corruption. Analysts say the victory ensures continuity in Moldova’s EU push but warn the country remains vulnerable to Russian pressure and destabilization efforts. Former president and Patriotic Electoral Bloc member Igor Dodon has called for protests, claiming without evidence that PAS manipulated the vote.

Bualoi’s victory follows Moldova’s 2022 application for EU membership and Brussels’ decision to grant the country candidate status and open accession negotiations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated Sandu, calling the result a “very important victory” over Russian subversion. The Kremlin criticized the number of polling stations set up in Russia, claiming it prevented “hundreds of thousands” of Moldovans there from voting.