Moldovans vote in presidential runoff

Moldovans vote in a presidential runoff that could see Moscow gain more influence in a diplomatic battleground between Russia and the European Union.

Polls opened on Sunday at 0500 GMT and will close at 1900 GMT.

Pro-Western incumbent Maia Sandu, who has accelerated the southeast European nation's push to leave Moscow's orbit and join the EU, faces Alexandr Stoianoglo, an ex-prosecutor general backed by the pro-Russian Socialist Party.

The fortunes of Sandu, who set Moldova on the long path of EU accession talks in June, will be closely followed in Brussels a week after the Georgia elections.

Stoianoglo says that as president he too would back EU integration but also develop ties with Russia in the national interest. He has vowed to try to revive cheap Russian gas supplies and said he would meet with President Vladimir Putin if Moldovans wanted it.

The outcome of the vote is likely to set the tone for next summer's parliamentary elections where Sandu's ruling party is expected to struggle to retain its majority and which will determine the stripe of the future government.

Stoianoglo's East-West balancing rhetoric contrasts with Sandu's four years in power, during which ties with the Kremlin have unravelled, a slew of Moscow's diplomats have been expelled and she has condemned Russia's attacks of neighbouring Ukraine.

Moscow has said that her government is "Russophobic".

Sandu portrays Stoianoglo as the Kremlin's man and a political Trojan horse, painting Sunday's vote as a choice between a bright future in the EU by 2030 and one of uncertainty and instability.

Stoianoglo says that is untrue and that she has failed to look out for the interests of ordinary Moldovans.

He accuses Sandu of divisive politics in a country that has a Romanian-speaking majority and large Russian-speaking minority.

The referendum

A total of 2,221 polling stations have been established: 234 abroad, 30 in the self-proclaimed independent region of Transnistria within Moldova’s borders, and 68 in the Autonomous Region of Gagauzia.

In addition to in-person voting, mail-in voting is available in the US, Canada, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, and Finland.

The election, monitored by around 2,000 local and international observers.

Moldovan voters living in the West are seen as largely pro-European and therefore more likely to support Sandu, who has championed Moldova's effort to join the 27-nation bloc by 2030.

The referendum result, on October 20, went to the wire, delivering a slender win of 50.35 percent for the pro-EU camp.

Sandu won 42 percent of the vote in the first round, falling short of the 50 percent needed to win outright. Stoianoglo came second with 26 percent.

Ahead of the vote, Sandu campaigned with the slogan "Save Moldova". The opposition was quick to counter with a parody slogan: "Save Moldova from Sandu".