By Dan Peleschuk
CHISINAU, Moldova (Reuters) -Moldova’s ruling pro-European party was leading a key parliamentary election on Sunday that could impact the country’s quest to join the European Union, with 42% of votes versus 30% for the pro-Russian opposition after nearly half the ballots had been counted.
Mutual recriminations have plagued the buildup to what President Maia Sandu has described as an existential moment for the small eastern-European nation that has oscillated between European and Russian influence.
The ruling Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) is fighting to keep its parliamentary majority amid attempts by the Russian-leaning Patriotic Bloc to win power and steer the nation away from closer ties with Brussels.
Government officials warned of attempts to disrupt the vote, including cyber attacks on election infrastructure and fake bomb threats throughout the day at polling stations in Moldova and abroad.
Moldova’s large diaspora, which tends to favour European integration, could have a say in the outcome of the vote, which authorities began counting after polling stations closed at 9 p.m. local time (1800 GMT).
Holding its majority in the 101-seat chamber would allow PAS to continue pushing for its goal of joining the EU by 2030 and finally breaking Moldova out of Russia’s orbit. If PAS falls short, it would have to try to form a coalition with smaller parties.
(Reporting by Dan Peleschuk in Chisnau; Additional reporting by Alexander Tanas and Andriy Pryimachenko in Chisnau and Alexandru Fedas in Balti; Editing by Mike Collett-White, Kevin Liffey, Bernadette Baum, Peter Graff, Nia Williams and Leslie Adler)
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