Moldova counts 99.5% of votes: pro-EU supporters secure victory by narrow margin

The Moldovan Central Election Commission reports that, with 99.46% of the votes counted, citizens of Moldova have expressed a positive response in the constitutional referendum on EU membership – though by a very narrow margin. The difference between supporters and opponents stands at just 12,243 votes.

The results indicate that 50.41% of voters supported the referendum on incorporating the Euro-Atlantic integration course into the constitution, while 49.59% voted against it.

This means that provisions regarding Moldova's European integration will now be included in the country's fundamental law. 

It is noteworthy that this positive outcome was largely supported by the diaspora, while residents of Moldova expressed opposition to closer ties with the EU.

Specifically, after counting data from 85% of polling stations, votes in favour were just above 45%. The results shifted in favour of the pro-European integrators only after data began to arrive from polling stations abroad, where the population tends to be more pro-European. 

Even in the capital, Chișinău, 44% of voters opposed a European future, meaning nearly half of the residents. In the heavily pro-Russian region of Gagauzia, negative responses reached 95%.

Moldovan President Maia Sandu believes that there was no fair political process during the elections and referendum in Moldova. Sandu claims that the authorities have evidence of widespread vote buying.  

The president emphasised that the "unprecedented attack on freedom and democracy" has been ongoing for several months and that criminal groups and foreign forces are behind it, "attacking our country with tens of millions of euros, lies, and propaganda".

The referendum in Moldova took place alongside the first round of presidential elections, where Sandu emerged victorious. However, the next president will be determined in the second round.