CHISINAU – Moldova’s pro-Western governing party secured a definitive parliamentary majority, surpassing pro-Russian factions in an election perceived as a clear decision between Eastern and Western alignments.

With most polling station reports tallied, electoral data revealed that the pro-EU Party of Action and Solidarity, or PAS, garnered 50.1% of the vote, whereas the pro-Russian Patriotic Electoral Bloc achieved 24.2%. The Alternativa Bloc, which favors Russia, placed third, followed by the populist Our Party. The right-wing Democracy at Home party also acquired enough support to enter the parliament.

The heated election on Sunday saw PAS contending against several Russia-aligned adversaries but no feasible pro-European allies. Electoral data suggests the party will secure a clear majority of approximately 55 out of the 101 seats in the parliament.

The election was widely viewed as a geopolitical choice for Moldovans: between a path to the European Union or a drift back into Moscow’s fold.

Cristian Cantir, a Moldovan associate professor of international relations at Oakland University, expressed to The Associated Press that PAS’s triumph represents “a decisive victory for pro-European forces in Moldova, enabling continuity in pursuing their ultimate goal of EU integration in the coming years.”

He stated that “a PAS majority spares the party from needing to form a coalition, which would likely have been unstable and slowed down reforms toward EU membership,” and noted that “Moldova will persist in a challenging geopolitical setting characterized by Russia’s efforts to draw it back into its sphere of influence.”

Election day was characterized by various incidents, including bomb threats at multiple international polling stations, cyberattacks on electoral and government systems, incidents of voters photographing their ballots, and illegal transportation of voters to polling sites. Additionally, three individuals were detained, suspected of planning to incite unrest following the vote.