Western President Maia Sandu has won a second term in a pivotal presidential runoff against a Russia-friendly opponent, in a race that was overshadowed by claims of Russian interference, voter fraud,

Maia Sandu said she would be president for all, after a run-off against a rival backed by a pro-Russian party.

The victory for the 52-year-old ex-World Bank adviser is an endorsement of the resolutely pro-Western course she has tacked.

Moldova's pro-Western President Maia Sandu has won a second term in a pivotal presidential runoff against a Russia-friendly opponent. The race was overshadowed by claims of Russian interference, voter fraud and intimidation in the European Union candidate country.

The close election demonstrates the challenging path toward Western democracy for former Soviet states.

For Ms Sandu, who has led Moldova’s pro-Western government since 2021, the support from the electorate signals a continued mandate to pursue EU membership, a trajectory fiercely opposed by Russia. The stakes were high for Moldova’s diaspora, with more than 325,000 casting ballots, mostly in favour of Ms Sandu, marking a record turnout.

President Biden lauds Moldovan incumbent Maia Sandu's reelection, saying "Russia sought to undermine" the country's democratic institutions for months.

Moldova’s pro-Western President Maia Sandu has won a second term in a pivotal presidential runoff against a Russia-friendly opponent, in a race that was overshadowed by claims of Russian interference.