Moldova’s ruling pro-European party has emerged victorious in the parliamentary elections, securing support from over half of the electorate, based on nearly finalized results released on Monday. The elections were marked by claims of Russian interference in the former Soviet nation.

The small candidate country for the European Union, neighboring Ukraine and home to a pro-Russian breakaway region, has been entrenched in a long-standing debate over whether to pursue closer ties with Brussels or to preserve its Soviet-era relationships with Moscow.

The elections held on Sunday were deemed critical for the nation’s efforts to further its EU integration, a movement that gained momentum following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

With more than 99.5% of the votes counted, the Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS), led by President Maia Sandu, received 50.03% of the votes to secure seats in Moldova’s 101-member parliament.

In comparison, the pro-Russian Patriotic Bloc received 24.26%, as indicated on the election commission’s website.

The backing for PAS — whose leadership did not speak to reporters waiting on Sunday night — was slightly lower than the 52.8% they achieved in the 2021 elections.

“Statistically, PAS has secured a precarious majority,” stated analyst Andrei Curararu from the Chisinau think tank WatchDog.md as the vote count was underway. However, he cautioned that “the threat is far from over,” noting that “establishing a functioning government remains a challenge.”

“The Kremlin has invested too much in this operation to withdraw quietly and could turn to protests, bribery of PAS legislators, and other tactics to hinder the formation of a stable pro-European administration,” he added.

The electoral process was marred by concerns about vote buying and potential disruptions, as well as “an unparalleled disinformation campaign” attributed to Russia, according to the EU.

Russia has refuted these claims.

Igor Dodon, a former president and one of the leaders of the Patriotic Bloc, urged the public to “peacefully protest” on Monday, alleging that PAS had manipulated the voting results.

“If there are any discrepancies overnight, we will not acknowledge the results of the parliamentary elections… and will call for a rerun,” he stated late Sunday outside the electoral commission building, accompanied by some supporters.

Earlier that day, voter Natalia Sandu remarked that the election was “crucial because we are at a turning point.”

“Our hope, and our expectation, is to continue along the European path,” said the 34-year-old homemaker to AFP.

“The alternative is unthinkable; I refuse to even consider reverting to the past,” she added.

Voter turnout was approximately 52%, akin to the rate during the last parliamentary elections in 2021.

Citizens in this nation of 2.4 million — one of Europe’s least affluent — voiced their discontent over economic struggles and showed doubts regarding the EU accession drive.

“I want increased wages and pensions… I wish for things to stay as they were in the Soviet era,” expressed Vasile, a 51-year-old locksmith and welder, who only provided his first name, while at a polling station in Chisinau.

Around 20 political parties and independent candidates contested for the 101 parliamentary seats.

After casting her ballot, pro-EU President Maia Sandu expressed concerns about the “significant Russian interference.”

Moldova’s cybersecurity agency reported on Sunday that it had detected multiple attempts to breach electoral systems, which were “neutralized in real-time… without compromising the availability or integrity of the electoral services.”

In the breakaway region of Transnistria, local authorities accused Chisinau of “numerous and evident” efforts to hinder the voting rights of Moldovans residing in the separatist area by reducing the number of polling places and employing other strategies.

The government has claimed that the Kremlin has funneled hundreds of millions in “dirty money” to meddle in the electoral process.

In the lead-up to the elections, prosecutors conducted numerous searches linked to what the government described as “electoral corruption” and “attempts to destabilize,” resulting in multiple arrests.