Sawt Falasteen - Moldova's pro-EU party ahead in polls overshadowed by Russian meddling claims

The small European Union candidate nation, which borders Ukraine and has a pro-Russia breakaway region, has long been divided over whether to move closer with Brussels or maintain Soviet-era relations with Moscow.

With 83 percent of the votes counted late Sunday, the Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS), in power since 2021, stood at 44.7 percent compared to the pro-Russian Patriotic Bloc at 27.9 percent.

PAS gained 52.8 percent in 2021.

If it fails to get a majority in parliament, it may struggle to find partners to govern, analysts have warned, possibly throwing up hurdles in the push towards EU integration, launched after Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Voter Natalia Sandu said the election was "important because we're at a crossroads".

"Our hope, and our expectation, is that we will stay on the European path," the 34-year-old homemaker told AFP.

"The alternative is unthinkable, I refuse to even imagine sliding back into the past," she added.

- 'Massive interference' -

As polls closed at 9:00 pm (1800 GMT) in Moldova, turnout stood at 51.9 percent, but polling stations abroad remain open until 9:00 pm local time. The final turnout was 52.3 percent at the last parliamentary elections in 2021.

Voters in the country of 2.4 million -- one of Europe's poorest -- have expressed frustration over economic hardship, as well as scepticism over the drive to join the EU.

"I want higher wages and pensions.... I want things to continue as they were during the Russian times," Vasile, a 51-year-old locksmith and welder, who only gave his first name, told AFP at a polling station in Chisinau.

The ballot is overshadowed by fears of vote buying and unrest, as well as an "an unprecedented campaign of disinformation" from Russia, according to the EU.

Moscow has denied the allegations.

Moldova's cybersecurity service said Sunday it had detected several attempted attacks on the electoral infrastructure, which were "neutralised in real time... without affecting the availability or integrity of electoral services".

After casting her vote, pro-EU President Maia Sandu of PAS warned of a "massive interference of Russia".

Moldova, she said, was "in danger" and "might lose everything it has won" posing "significant risk also for other countries like Ukraine".

In the breakaway region of Transnistria, authorities, in turn, accused Chisinau of "numerous and blatant" attempts to limit the vote of Moldovans living in the separatist territory by reducing the number of polling stations and other tactics.

"I voted for getting back to normal, for the development of the Republic of Moldova," Igor Dodon, one of the leaders of the pro-Russian opposition Patriotic Bloc, said after casting his vote in Chisinau.

Dodon, a former president, has accused the government of trying to steal the vote. He repeated a call for supporters "to peacefully protest" on Monday to "defend our victory".

In an interview earlier this week, Dodon told AFP that on foreign policy, he would "continue discussions, negotiations with the EU, but we will also re-establish relations with the Russian Federation".

- 'Significant risks -

The government has accused the Kremlin of spending hundreds of millions in "dirty money" to interfere in the campaign.

In the lead-up to the vote, prosecutors carried out hundreds of searches related to what the government said was "electoral corruption" and "destabilisation attempts", with dozens arrested.

Foreign interference and threats of stirring up unrest are "the most significant risks", said Igor Botan, the head of Moldovan think tank Adept.

"Post-election negotiations to form an alliance (to govern) are highly likely, and here too, things are unclear," Botan said earlier this week.

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R.Shaban--SF-PST