Maia Sandu wins presidential election in Moldova

After processing more than 99% of the data, Maia Sandu (pictured) obtained more than 57% of the votes in Moldova. In the diaspora, the candidate of the Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) received over 92% of the vote, writes Cristian Gherasim.

The Central Electoral Commission of the Republic of Moldova confirmed that in several polling stations abroad, including Frankfurt and London, the ballots were exhausted before their official closure. In many European cities, very long queues have formed in front of polling stations.

The first ballot, which took place on 1 November, was won by Maia Sandu with 36.16% of the vote. President Igor Dodon had obtained 32.61%.

Maia Sandu is perceived as the pro-EU candidate who won against Putin's pick Igor Dodon, incumbent president.

The diaspora voted for keeping the pro EU candidate with the 1st chance of winning the presidency after losing in 2016. This represents a major swift in the region, the Republic of Moldova being sandwiched between east and west.

Sandu, 48, has three degrees in economics and public administration, one from Harvard. Between 2010 and 2012, she was an advisor to one of the World Bank's executive directors. However, she chose to leave Washington, where she earned $ 10,000 a month and returned to Moldova.

Involved in politics across the Prut since 2012, Sandu relied on an anti-corruption platform in the election campaign, promising to lift the country out of poverty, hold the authorities accountable and strengthen ties with the European Union.

Sandu also ran in the 2016 presidential election, but was defeated in the second round by pro-Russian candidate Igor Dodon, who won 52.11% of the vote.

On 8 June 2019, she was appointed Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, but on the same day the Constitutional Court invalidated her appointment as unconstitutional, triggering a political crisis across the Prut. Her government was dismissed by motion of censure on 12 November 2019.

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