The pro-European Union ruling party in Moldova led the parliamentary election results on Sunday, according to near-final results, amid accusations of Russian interference in the electoral process.

Both sides exchanged accusations of manipulation and intimidation attempts in this former Soviet republic with a population of about 2.4 million.

For a long time, there has been a division in the small country, a candidate for EU membership located on the border with Ukraine and with a pro-Russian separatist region, over whether to move closer to Brussels or maintain close ties with Moscow.

The elections held on Sunday are seen as pivotal for the country to maintain momentum in integration with the European Union, which began after the Russian-Ukrainian war in 2022.

After counting 95% of the votes early Monday, the ruling Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS), in power since 2021, secured 48.3% of the votes, while the pro-Russian National Bloc obtained 25.5%. PAS had won 52.8% of the votes in 2021. Voter turnout was about 52%, similar to the last parliamentary elections.

Country at Risk

Pro-European President Maia Sandu warned of “massive Russian interference” shortly after voting, affirming that her country is “at risk.” She told reporters in the capital Chișinău, “If Moldovans do not mobilize enough and if Russian interference has a significant impact on our elections, Moldova could lose everything.”

Sandu managed to start negotiations for Moldova’s accession to the European Union, as well as secure Western financial aid for the former Soviet republic, which has a large number of Russian speakers.