RRI Live!

Listen to Radio Romania International Live

By-elections in the Republic of Moldova

The name of the future mayor of Chisinau, the capital of the ex-Soviet, majority Romanian-speaking Republic of Moldova, will be known after a second round of by-elections

By-elections in the Republic of Moldova
By-elections in the Republic of Moldova

, 21.05.2018, 13:37

As expected by political commentators, Sunday’s mayoral by-elections in the Republic of Moldova are more a kind of test. They were held in five villages and the country’s two biggest cities, the capital Chisinau and Balti, in the north.



The mayor of Chisinau, the pro-European Liberal Dorin Chirtoaca, and that of Balti, the pro-Russian populist Renato Usatîi, have resigned after becoming the subject of criminal investigations they both described as politically motivated. In Balti, which has a large Russian-speaking and pro-Russian population, the new mayor has been elected in the first round, with more than 60% of the votes. His name is Nicolai Grigorisin, the candidate of the same populist party suspected of being funded by Moscow of which Usatîi was also a member. In the capital city, which is home to a third of Moldova’s population and accounts for half of its GDP, the name of the new mayor will be known in two weeks’ time, after a second round of voting.



The finalists are the Socialist candidate Ion Ceban, who is close to Moldova’s pro-Russian president Igor Dodon and who won more than 40% of the votes, and the pro-European Andrei Nastase, the leader of the Dignity and Truth Platform Party and supported by the former presidential candidate Maia Sandu, who won around 32% of the votes. The independent candidate Silvia Radu, who served as interim mayor after Chirtoaca’s resignation and who was backed by the ruling Democratic Party, came third with 18% of the votes.



More than the percentages obtained by the candidates, what shocks is the low voter turnout of 35%. Commentators say one reason for this is that the new mayors will only serve for one year before the regular local elections are held in 2019. The civic organisations that have monitored the voting process spoke about errors in the election lists, the presence of unauthorised persons inside and in the vicinity of polling stations and cases of organised transport of voters.



The by-elections in Moldova’s two biggest cities is seen as a dress-rehearsal for the parliamentary elections at the end of the year, Radio Romania’s correspondents quote political analyst Igor Munteanu as saying. His view is shared by the expert Ion Tabarta, who deplores the fragmentation of the pro-European right during the election campaign.



The second election round in Chisinau may, however, address this situation, precisely under pressure from voters. Pro-European sentiments are in the majority in this city, which has never elected a pro-Russian mayor and where more than half of the population stands for unification with Romania according to a recent opinion poll. Commentators therefore believe the right will rally behind Andrei Nastase in the final round. (Translated by C. Mateescu)

November 1 - National Radio Day
Today in the News Friday, 01 November 2024

Radio Romania 96

Radio Romania has celebrated 96 years since it first entered the listeners houses from Romania and abroad. On November 1 1928 the Romanians were able...

Radio Romania 96
(Photo: pixabay@Engin_Akyurt)
Today in the News Thursday, 31 October 2024

Romanians’ concerns

Romanians and Austrians are the most satisfied with their lives among the inhabitants of Central and Eastern Europe, but the former are significantly...

Romanians’ concerns
Elections in Moldova (Photo: Radio Chișinău)
Today in the News Thursday, 31 October 2024

Republic of Moldova, crucial final

On November 3, the citizens of the Republic of Moldova have to choose, for the position of head of state, between the pro-European Maia Sandu, the...

Republic of Moldova, crucial final
Foto: Baza 71 Aeriană / MApn
Today in the News Wednesday, 30 October 2024

Drones, a security issue

The Romanian Ministry of National Defense has placed under decisional transparency a bill that improves airspace security measures. The bill, which...

Drones, a security issue
Today in the News Wednesday, 30 October 2024

The Fugitive Law is constitutional

The Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) has rejected the referral of the High Court of Cassation and Justice (ICCJ) in relation to the so-called...

The Fugitive Law is constitutional
Today in the News Tuesday, 29 October 2024

Challenges of an ageing population

Romanians are getting fewer and older.   The population of Romania in mid-2024 was 21,779,000, down 1% compared to June 1, 2023. According to...

Challenges of an ageing population
Today in the News Monday, 28 October 2024

Romania sees rising public debt levels

Government debt rose in July to over 876 billion lei (that’s around 175 billion euros), from 860 billion lei in the previous month, according to...

Romania sees rising public debt levels
Today in the News Monday, 28 October 2024

Presidential debate in the Republic of Moldova

An unusual electoral debate, in form, but predictable in content, had as protagonists, on Sunday, the two remaining candidates in the presidential...

Presidential debate in the Republic of Moldova

Partners

Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român
Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS
Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online
Institului European din România Institului European din România
Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti
Muzeul Național de Artă al României Muzeul Național de Artă al României
Le petit Journal Le petit Journal
Radio Prague International Radio Prague International
Muzeul Național de Istorie a României Muzeul Național de Istorie a României
ARCUB ARCUB
Radio Canada International Radio Canada International
Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti” Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti”
SWI swissinfo.ch SWI swissinfo.ch
UBB Radio ONLINE UBB Radio ONLINE
Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl
creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti
italradio italradio
Institutul Confucius Institutul Confucius
BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți

Affiliates

Euranet Plus Euranet Plus
AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters
Digital Radio Mondiale Digital Radio Mondiale
News and current affairs from Germany and around the world News and current affairs from Germany and around the world
Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona

Providers

RADIOCOM RADIOCOM
Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company