Moldovans vote in presidential election, EU membership referendum

The citizens of Moldova are heading to the polls for presidential election and a referendum on EU membership.

Voting begins at 0400 GMT local time on Sunday and will end at 1600GMT.

The process is being monitored by more than 1,100 local and 280 foreign observers.

The presidential election and referendum are being held under the shadow of the ongoing struggle between the West and Russia over Moldova.

The people of Moldova, which has become a battleground between the West and Russia since it declared independence, are making choices about integration with Europe and rapprochement with Russia.

Before the election, Chisinau accused Moscow of attempting to destabilise the country by providing education in Russia to Moldovan citizens and trying to hinder rapprochement with the EU.

Russia, on the other hand, claimed that Moldova had taken "unfriendly" steps against it and was blocking the use of the Russian language. Moscow urged Chisinau to remain neutral, as required by the Constitution.

The Russian-backed "Victory" group is opposing the current government.

Voters will be asked: “Are you for the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the European Union?”

The outcome of the referendum will determine if EU accession becomes a constitutional goal.

In the referendum, 12 parties are supporting the "YES" option, while two are backing the "NO" option. A "YES" vote will amend the Constitution.

Turnout must exceed 33 percent for the referendum to be considered valid.

Irreversible goal

Meanwhile, voters are also electing a president for a four-year term, following economic hardships caused by the Russia-Ukraine War and issues with natural gas supplies.

A total of 11 candidates, six representing parties and five running independently, are vying for the presidency.

Pro-Western President Maja Sandu is seeking a second term and hopes to secure a "YES" vote in the referendum, which would enshrine Moldova's EU accession as an "irreversible" goal in the Constitution.

According to data from the Moldovan Central Election Commission, voting is taking place in 36 regions and at embassies abroad for more than 3 million eligible voters, including those living overseas.

Thirty ballot boxes have also been set up in settlements within the Moscow-leaning breakaway region of Transnistria, which has declared unilateral independence from Moldova.

Around 2,000 Russian soldiers remain stationed in Transnistria.

Under Moldovan electoral law, the presidential election is valid if at least one-third of voters participate, and a candidate is elected if more than half of the votes are cast in their favour. If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote, a second round will be held.

Since the collapse of the erstwhile Soviet Union, Moldova has fluctuated between pro-Western and pro-Russian influences, but during Sandu's tenure, the country has accelerated its push to distance itself from Moscow, especially amid the war in neighbouring Ukraine.