Moldova’s referendum on joining the EU: a narrow victory for EU supporters

With 99.46% of the vote counted, the Moldovan Central Election Commission (CEC) has confirmed the positive response of Moldovan citizens in the constitutional referendum on EU membership—but by a very narrow margin.

Maia Sandu is leading the presidential election in Moldova with 41.89% of the vote, while Alexandr Stoianoglo received 26.35%.

According to the results, 50.41% of voters voted “yes” in the referendum on the introduction of the European integration path of the country in the constitution, and 49.59% voted “no.” The difference in votes between supporters and opponents was only 12,243.

Now the constitution of Moldova will contain provisions regarding its European integration.

Simultaneously, the diaspora played a significant role in ensuring this positive outcome. Instead, the majority of Moldovans expressed opposition to their country’s integration into the EU.

In particular, after counting data from 85% of polling stations, support for the “yes” answer only slightly exceeded 45%. The result shifted in favor of the European integrators only after data from foreign polling stations with pro-European populations began to arrive.

Even in the capital city of Chisinau, 44% of voters, representing almost half of the population, expressed opposition to European integration. In the most pro-Russian region of Gagauzia, the negative response rate was 95%.

Moldovan President Maia Sandu believes that the elections and referendum in Moldova were not a fair political process. Sandu claims that the authorities have evidence of large-scale vote-buying.

The president emphasized that the “unprecedented attack on freedom and democracy” lasted for several months and that criminal groups and foreign forces were behind it, who “attacked our country with tens of millions of euros, lies, and propaganda.”

Read also: EU: Voting in Moldova was held with ‘unprecedented interference’ by Russia 

In Moldova, the referendum on EU integration was held at the same time as the first round of the presidential election, which Sandu won. However, the second round will determine the next president of Moldova.

Read also: Moldovan journalists infiltrated Kremlin’s network in Moldova and investigated its influence campaigns