Moldovans are casting votes in a decisive presidential runoff that pits pro-Western incumbent Maia Sandu against Russia-friendly former prosecutor general Alexandr Stoianoglo. The vote is being held as ongoing claims of voter fraud and intimidation threaten the democratic process in the EU candidate country. In the first-round vote held on Oct. 20, Sandu obtained 42% of the ballot but failed to win an outright majority. A poll released this week by research company iData indicates a tight race that leans toward a narrow Sandu victory, but that outcome might rely on Moldova’s large diaspora.
