MOLDOVANS VOTE IN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION-To win a majority in the 101-seat chamber
Polls opened in Chisinau on Sunday as Moldovans vote in a parliamentary election that could have a major impact on the government’s quest to join the European Union.
If neither side wins a majority in the 101-seat chamber, political horse-trading is likely to follow, further unsettling one of Europe’s countries.
To a government aspiring to join the EU, control of parliament is vital for the long-term legislative efforts required. power in the former Soviet republic has swung for decades between pro-European and pro-Russian groups. About a third of the country – Transdniestria, east of the Dniestr river – is controlled by a breakaway pro-Russian administration, and hosts a small Russian garrison.
The election is seen as a test of Moldova’s democratic resilience and its geopolitical orientation, with voters choosing between parties favouring closer ties with the European Union and those advocating stronger relations with Russia.
