Moldovans voted under bomb threats and cyberattacks, yet delivered a result that may shape the nation’s path for years. In Sunday’s election, the pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS), led by President Maia Sandu, won 49.6% of the vote, securing 54 seats in the 101-member parliament, a slim but workable majority.
Their main rivals, the pro-Russian “Patriotic Bloc” of Socialists and Communists, trailed with 24.5% (27 seats). Other pro-Russian groups fared worse: Ion Ceban’s “Alternative” got 8%, Renato Usatii’s “Our Party” 6%, while “Democracy at Home” and Romania’s nationalist AUR each passed the threshold with about 6 seats.
Sandu thanked voters for choosing reforms and Europe’s path but warned of possible unrest, saying pro-Russian groups were planning provocations in Chisinau. Former president Igor Dodon accused “the West” of fraud and called protests.
European leaders praised Moldova’s vote. EU Council president António Costa said Moldovans chose “democracy and a European future, despite Russia’s interference.” Austrian officials urged reforms and accession talks, calling the vote proof of courage and a cornerstone for Europe’s security.
Despite cyberattacks and bomb threats, Moldova’s democracy held. The result rejected Moscow’s influence and signaled a firm embrace of Europe, making Sandu’s win both fragile in numbers but powerful in meaning.
