A poll has opened in Moldova’s election with a quick turnaround Election Issues

The polling station in Moldova was opened on Sunday morning by voters seeking to elect a new parliament after it was disrupted by new President Maia Sandu to defend her views against Russian military forces.

The investigation opened at 7am (04:00 GMT) on Sunday and closed at 9pm, with preliminary results expected a few hours later.

Sandu, who wants to bring Moldova to the European Union, in November defeated the Kremlin’s Igor Dodon as a pledge to fight corruption in one of Europe’s poorest countries.

Coalitioned between Ukraine and the EU member in Romania, Moldova has long been divided due to its close ties with Brussels or the continued relations between the Soviet Union and Moscow.

With lawmakers loyal to Dodon blocking Sandu’s reform promises, the former World Bank finance minister disrupted parliament in April and prepared a brief vote.

“This Sunday we have to finish what we started and take second place. This is an opportunity for each of us to choose an honest and trustworthy leadership, “Sandu said in a statement before voting.

“It’s time to clean up the country, the corrupt and corrupt officials,” said Sandu, who wants to change the legal system, increase salaries and pensions and change the law to prevent corruption.

The statement also applies to many Moldovan people, who in recent years have seen their country suffer from political instability, including a $ 1bn bank fraud equivalent to about 15% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

“They really want to change the country for the better,” Natalia Cadabnuic, a young woman living in Chisinau, told AFP.

Sandu, who has also served as caretaker Prime Minister for some time, for many Moldovans has been a “sign of change”, says Alexei Tulbure, a political analyst and former ambassador to the United Nations.

He added that the people of Moldova were tired of corrupt politicians, and said Sandu was the first to be a leader when he “had a history of justice”.

Russia’s power is at stake

Twenty-two parties run in the by-elections on Sunday. They have to cross the 5% and 7% of the polls in a row to get seats in an unofficial meeting.

101 legislators will be elected for a four-year term.

Ilan Shor, a businessman convicted of felony criminal mischief and money laundering in connection with a $ 1bn bank scandal, is also part of a coalition of more than 20 parties and organizations – including independents – who are contesting the election. Shor denies wrongdoing.

Going to the polls, Sandu’s right-wing Action and Solidarity (PAS) party was in the lead.

A recent poll showed PAS with 35-37% of the vote against 21-27% of party candidates from the socialist and communist alliance led by Dodon and former President Vladimir Voronin.

These estimates only cast 2.6 million people living in a country.

The analysts say that abroad, which is more than a third of Moldovan legitimate candidates who have already turned their backs on Sandu during the presidential election, may be secretive about the results.

According to estimates, people from other countries could bring the Sandu party to another 10 per cent.

The analysts say the elections could hurt Russia, which wants Moldova to remain in power.

“Many will contribute to Europe, and Russia’s power will be weakened,” said Sergiy Gerasymchuk, a Kyiv sociologist from Moldovan politics.

Sandu has already angered the Kremlin by plotting to overthrow the Russian military base in Transnistria, a Russian-backed government that crosses the eastern border with Ukraine.

Pro-Russia Dodon criticized the authorities on Friday for planning “initiatives” and urged his supporters to be prepared to stage protests to “defend” their victory.