Moldovans are voting in a pivotal presidential runoff. But voter fraud threatens its democracy

Associated Press

CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) — Moldovans vote this weekend in a presidential runoff race between a pro-Western incumbent and a Russia-friendly challenger. The outcome will likely shape the country’s path for years to come. In a national referendum on Oct. 20, Moldovans voted by a razor-thin majority of 50.35% in favor of securing a membership in the European Union. But the results of the referendum and the first round of the presidential election were overshadowed by allegations of a Moscow-backed vote-buying scheme. Moldova’s judiciary was exposed as unable to adequately protect the democratic process. The results also allowed some of the pro-Moscow opposition to question the validity of the votes.