Moldovans vote in tense presidential run-off amid Russian meddling claims

Pro-EU incumbent Maia Sandu faces off Russia-friendly rival in elections amid claims of fraud and Russian meddling.

Moldovans are casting ballots in a tense presidential run-off as pro-Western incumbent, Maia Sandu, hopes to win a second term amid allegations of Russian meddling.

Polls opened on Sunday at 7am local time (05:00 GMT) and will close at 9pm (19:00 GMT). More than three million people are registered to vote in the elections that will set the course of Moldova’s path to European Union membership.

Sandu secured 42 percent in the first round of the election held on October 20, but failed to win an outright majority. Her challenger, Alexandr Stoianoglo, a former prosecutor general who favours closer ties with Russia, came second with 26 percent of the votes.

The fortunes of Sandu, who set Moldova on the long path of EU accession talks in June, will be closely followed in Brussels a week after Georgia, another ex-Soviet state hoping to join, re-elected a governing party seen as increasingly pro-Russian.

Stoianoglo says as president he would back EU integration, but would also develop ties with Russia in the national interest. He has promised to try to revive cheap Russian gas supplies and said he would meet President Vladimir Putin if Moldovans wanted it.