Moldova’s ruling party wins crucial election billed as choice between EU and Moscow

Observers and party officials had called Sunday’s vote the most important election in Moldova’s post-independence history. The poll was widely viewed as a choice between greater integration with the EU or a return to Russia’s orbit. To form a government, PAS — the party of President Maia Sandu — needs to retain a majority of more than 51 seats in Moldova’s 101-seat parliament chamber. Sandu said there was “a lot at stake” for Moldova, while casting her vote on Sunday in the capital Chisinau. Accusations of Russian interferenceAhead of Sunday’s election, Sandu accused Russia of attempting to sway the vote to install a government more pliant to Moscow through a vast disinformation campaign.