Biden lauds Moldova election as win for democracy over Russian interference

3 hari yang lalu

U.S. accuses Russia of predetermination misinfo

U.S. accuses Russia of spreading predetermination misinformation 02:00

Moldova's pro-European Union incumbent President Maia Sandu won a tense statesmanlike runoff predetermination Sunday, beating a rival backed by a pro-Russian statement successful what she called arsenic a "lesson successful democracy."

The predetermination successful nan mini ex-Soviet republic, which lies sandwiched betwixt war-torn Ukraine and nan European Union, was overshadowed by allegations of meddling by Moscow. The cardinal ballot took spot conscionable 2 weeks aft a referendum saw Moldovans backmost their country's bid to subordinate nan EU by a razor-thin margin.

Sandu won 54.94 percent of nan ballot compared to 45.06 percent for Alexandr Stoianoglo, who was supported by nan pro-Russian Socialists statement and whom Sandu fired arsenic charismatic wide past year, according to near-complete results published by nan country's predetermination commission.

"Today, beloved Moldovans, you person fixed a instruction successful democracy, worthy of being written successful history books.... Freedom, truth, and justness person prevailed," Sandu declared.

Her rival Stoianoglo, 57, urged group "to stay calm, sloppy of nan figures," but nan Socialists statement that backed him was speedy to merchandise a connection Monday questioning nan results and calling her "illegitimate," without offering immoderate circumstantial evidence.

"Maia Sandu is an illegitimate president, recognized only by her sponsors and supporters abroad. The group of Moldova consciousness betrayed and robbed," nan statement claimed successful a statement, decrying "blocking of voters' access" and different alleged irregularities successful nan vote, successful which Sandu benefitted from beardown support from nan country's ample diaspora.

Biden says populist won, "Russia failed."

In a connection issued Monday greeting by nan White House, President Biden said nan Moldovan group "went to nan polls and voted successful favour of President Sandu's imagination for a secure, prosperous, and antiauthoritarian Moldova."

"For months, Russia sought to undermine Moldova's antiauthoritarian institutions and predetermination processes. But Russia failed," Mr. Biden said. "The Moldovan group person exercised their antiauthoritarian correct to take their ain future, and they person chosen to prosecute a way aligned pinch Europe and democracies everywhere."

Latest news astir Russian misinformation successful 2024 elections 03:32

EU main Ursula von der Leyen congratulated Sandu connected her re-election triumph and nan country's "European future," saying it took "a uncommon benignant of spot to flooded nan challenges you've faced successful this election."

French President Emmanuel Macron said populist had "triumphed complete each interference and each manuevers."

Sandu's triumph was besides applauded by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy connected Monday. His country, which Russia launched its ongoing full-scale penetration of almost 3 years ago, surrounds Moldova connected 3 sides.

"Moldovans person made a clear choice," Zelenskyy said Monday. "They chose a way toward economical maturation and societal stability."

He vowed to fortify Ukraine's ties pinch Moldova and noted that some countries had applied to subordinate nan EU successful nan aftermath of Russia's February 2022 invasion.

"Only existent information and a peaceful, agreed Europe tin guarantee each personification and each family nan assurance to look tomorrow pinch dream and certainty," he said.

Accession negotiations for Moldova to subordinate nan EU formally opened successful June. In nan October 20 referendum, 50.35 percent of voters backed EU membership, pinch Sandu blaming "foreign interference" for nan constrictive consequence successful nan state of 2.6 cardinal people.

"Attacks, provocations and attempts astatine destabilization"

Like successful Georgia, different ex-Soviet state wherever nan ruling statement won a contested parliamentary predetermination past weekend, Russia has been accused of seeking to sway voters. Moscow has denied nan allegations.

Police said aft nan EU referendum that they had uncovered a Russian vote-buying strategy that could person affected up to a 4th of nan ballots, and Moldovan authorities reported "attacks, provocations and attempts astatine destabilization" connected Sunday.

Police said they were investigating Russia's alleged usage of "organized transportation" to Belarus, Azerbaijan and Turkey truthful group surviving successful Russia could ballot astatine Moldovan missions successful those countries.

Cyberattacks and clone explosive threats besides targeted out-of-country voting operations, authorities said.

A profoundly divided Moldova

Turnout was higher than successful nan first information connected October 20, erstwhile Sandu came retired up pinch 42.5 percent and runner-up Stoianoglo sewage 26 percent.

Casting his ballot connected Sunday, Stoianoglo said he had "no relations pinch nan Kremlin."

Moldova holds statesmanlike runoff predetermination amid Russian meddling claims

While he's said he besides favors joining nan EU, he boycotted nan referendum.

Moldova is profoundly polarized. A ample diaspora and nan superior mostly favour joining nan EU, while agrarian areas and nan pro-Russian separatist regions of Transnistria and Gagauzia are against it.

Sandu mislaid successful nan territory of Moldova itself, predetermination results showed, pinch her owing her triumph to nan diaspora.

"This is what tipped nan election," said Florent Parmentier, a governmental intelligence astatine Paris-based Sciences Po, noting Sandu's "dependence connected nan outside."

To support its pro-EU course, Moldova needs "a batch of help" fixed "the hybrid warfare waged by Russia," according to Andrei Curararu, an expert astatine nan Chisinau-based WatchDog deliberation tank.

"It will not win connected its own," he said, earlier citing "unprecedented pressure" pinch much than $100 cardinal estimated to person been spent connected "destabilization activities."