(ANSA-AFP) - CHISINAU, NOV 6 - Chisinau's incumbent mayor
clinched a second term, according to election results on Monday,
marking a set-back for Moldova's ruling party, which accused
Russia of interfering in the lead-up to the vote.
Tensions have soared between Russia and the former Soviet
republic of 2.6 million people since Moscow's invasion of
Ukraine. Moldova applied to join the European Union last year
and has repeatedly accusing Russia of interference. Ahead of
Sunday's first round of local elections, President Maia Sandu
warned "parties paid by the Kremlin and disguised as
pro-European parties... will try to subjugate Moldova to foreign
interests" and accused them of buying votes. Her pro-European
Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) said it came first in almost
two-thirds of counties in the first round. A second round of
voting is scheduled for November 19. But its candidate failed to
wrest the Chisinau mayorship from incumbent Ion Ceban.
Ceban, a former member of the pro-Russian Socialist party who
later rebranded himself as pro-European, won almost 51 percent
of votes, according to the final results. PAS candidate Lilian
Carp secured just 28 percent of the vote, falling short of
expectations that he would be able to challenge Ceban in a
second round. (ANSA-AFP).
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