11 candidates for the presidency of the Republic of Moldova
The Central Electoral Commission in Chişinău approved 11 candidates for the presidential election in the Republic of Moldova, scheduled for October 20.
Sorin Iordan, 25.09.2024, 13:50
11 candidates received the green light from the Central Electoral Commission in Chişinău to participate in the elections for the position of president of the Republic of Moldova. The incumbent president, Maia Sandu, who entered the race for a new mandate, will have as her main opponents the former prosecutor general, Alexandr Stoianoglo, supported by the Socialist Party, and the former mayor of the city of Bălţi, Renato Usatîi, leader of the ‘Our Party’ group. Also running for president are: Vasile Tarlev from the Viitorul Moldovei (Future of Moldova) party, Ion Chicu from the Party of Development and Consolidation of Moldova, Octavian Țîcu from the Împreună (Together) Electoral Bloc, as well as the independents Tudor Ulianovschi, Victoria Furtună, Andrei Năstase, Natalia Morari and Irina Vlah. In parallel with the election for the head of state, on October 20 there will also be a referendum to amend the Constitution in relation to the EU accession of the Republic of Moldova. In the referendum, 12 parties signed up with the “YES” option and two with the “NO” option. The socialists decided to boycott the referendum, and the communists and a party from the political bloc affiliated to the oligarch Ilan Şor said they are against the country’s accession to the EU.
According to a survey carried out by the company iData and published on Monday by the press from the left side of the Prut River, Maia Sandu is leading in the presidential race, just like the “YES” vote in the referendum for European integration. Thus, if elections were held this Sunday, Sandu would get 26.8% of the votes, followed by Renato Usatîi, with 12.7% and Alexandr Stoianoglo, with 11.2%. As regards the referendum, 46% of those interviewed would vote in favor of European integration, 39% would reject this option, while 12.7% of voters have not yet decided. Out of the total number of people surveyed, 67% said they would definitely go to the polls. The expert from the Institute for European Policies and Reforms in Chişinău, Mihai Mogâldea, said that the results of the referendum will send a clear signal to the European partners, that the society of the Republic of Moldova wants European integration and is ready to go through the necessary reforms and changes to achieve this target.
In turn, the former Romanian MEP Victor Boştinaru said that a victory of the pro-European forces would also mean a strategic defeat of Russia and its propaganda, which, at present, is massively sabotaging the idea of joining the EU and is trying to convince the Bessarabians that they do not need the European community. Recently, the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has warned that Russia will try to manipulate the results of the presidential election in the Republic of Moldova, including through the propaganda television ‘Russia Today’, which, according to him, is allegedly coordinating its activity with the Russian intelligence services. In this sense, Washington has imposed sanctions on entities and individuals from the Russian Federation for interference in the electoral process in the Republic of Moldova. (LS)
