Moldovan presidential candidate Oleksandr Stoianoglo conceded defeat in the elections two days after the results of the second round of voting were declared.
This is reported by the Moldovan publication NewsMaker.
According to him, this is "not a final defeat, but only a lost battle," and "our struggle for a stable and flourishing Moldova is just beginning."
Oleksandr Stoianoglo is a former prosecutor general who is supported by pro-Russian opposition parties. In the second round of elections, 750 000 people, or 44.67%, voted for him. Meanwhile, pro-European president Maia Sandu received almost 930 000 voters, or 55.33%.
Elections in Moldova
Incumbent Maia Sandu won the 2024 presidential election. Simultaneously with the presidential elections, a referendum on the future of the country in the EU was held in the country. In general, citizens supported European integration, but the advantage was minimal — 50.35%. There were only 11 277 more votes in favor thanks to the diaspora. After that, the country enshrined its desire to join the EU in the Constitution.
Chisinau aims to join the EU by 2030. The country is counting on the support of the West in the fight against Russian interference. Moldovaʼs goal to become part of the bloc by the end of the decade is quite ambitious. The country will have to overcome many challenges, including corruption in the judicial system.
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