Pro-Western candidate wins Moldovan presidential election
Former prime minister Maia Sandu prepares to cast her vote in the country's presidential election runoff in Chisinau, Moldova, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020. Moldovans returned to the polls Sunday for the second round of voting in the country's presidential election, facing a choice between the staunchly pro-Russian incumbent Igor Dodon, and his popular pro-Western challenger, former prime minister Maia Sandu. โPreliminary results indicate that my opponent Maia Sandu is the winner, and I want to preliminary congratulate her,โ Dodon said after the results were published. Sunday's election was seen as a referendum on two divergent visions for the future of the small Eastern European nation sandwiched between Ukraine and Romania. Sandu and Dodon, who Russian President Vladimir Putin identified as his preferred candidate, have been rivals since he narrowly defeated her in the 2016 presidential race.
Moldova's presidential runoff sees big Russia-West divide
Former prime minister Maia Sandu prepares to cast her vote in the country's presidential election runoff in Chisinau, Moldova, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020. Moldovans returned to the polls Sunday for the second round of voting in the country's presidential election, facing a choice between the staunchly pro-Russian incumbent Igor Dodon, and his popular pro-Western challenger, former prime minister Maia Sandu. The challenger, former Prime Minister Maia Sandu, beat the odds to win the first round on Nov. 1, which narrowed the field from eight to two candidates. Sandu won over 36% of the vote, leaving the incumbent, President Igor Dodon, behind by over 3.5 points. Sandu, a former World Bank economist, promised during the campaign to secure more financial support from Brussels if she becomes president.
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