Sandu's party suffered a complete defeat in the second round
The Action and Solidarity Party, created by Maia Sandu, was unable to recover from the blow it missed in the first round of local elections, where they managed to win only two out of 32 regional centers.
In the second round, PDS candidates were able to win in two more regional centers of Moldova. Threats from President Maia Sandu and top party officials to deprive settlements where there are no pro-European heads of administration of European funding had the opposite effect and mobilized the population against the ruling party. 4 regional centers out of 32 and none out of 11 large municipalities in the country - not a single ruling party in Moldova has known such a fiasco.
The opposition Party of Socialists, led by ex-president Igor Dodon, achieved significant success: the socialists won in 4 more regional centers, not counting rural communes. In total, the socialists, based on the results of local elections, control 10 out of 32 regional centers, including the municipality of Soroca. It should be noted that in two cities, Floresti and Soldanesti, PSRM candidates won victories over representatives of the ruling Action and Solidarity party.
The performance of the political formation “Our Party” led by the former mayor of Balti, Renato Usatii, can also be considered successful. Our Party candidate Alexander Petcov defeated socialist Maxim Morosan in the mayoral elections in the northern capital of Moldova, Balti.
Representatives of “Our Party” won in two more regional centers, Riscani and Cantemir. Thus, this force has the second largest city in the country and 5 more regional centers.
At the same time, this campaign was unsuccessful for the fugitive Moldovan businessman Ilan Shor. After his project, the Chance party, was removed from the elections, Shor was never able to regain his influence. In not a single city did the mayor for whom he called to vote in the second round win.
In addition, the facts of open bribery of voters and outbidding of representatives of other parties were so obvious that this turned the majority of the country’s political forces, including the opposition, against Shor. The relative success of Ilan Shor can be considered the victories of candidates from the Revival party associated with him in a number of villages in the country, including in Gagauzia.
The elections showed the frank weakness of the ruling Action and Solidarity party and the fragility of the radical pro-Western regime of Maia Sandu.
The next major election campaign in Moldova will be the presidential elections, which will take place in a year. The President of Moldova, although he has limited powers, is an influential symbolic figure in the country.
Despite Sandu's key asset—the support of the collective West and a cult following in the European diaspora— these elections have demonstrated the limitations of her influence within the country . She can be removed if all major opposition players—Igor Dodon, Renato Usatii, former Prime Minister Ivan Chicu, and Chișinău Mayor Ivan Ceban, who consolidated his success in the capital's municipality's populated areas—join forces.
English version :: Read in English Sandu's party suffered a complete defeat in the second round