Maia Sandu Defeats Pro-Russian Opponent to Secure Re-Election

On November 3rd, 2024, Maia Sandu was re-elected as president of Moldova after a run-off election against Alexandr Stoianoglo, who was backed by Russia. Sandu won with 55% of the votes while Stoianoglo received 45%. The election followed a preliminary round on October 20th where Sandu led with 42% of the votes against ten candidates, many of whom were pro-Russian. The late counting of votes from Moldova's substantial diaspora, particularly in western Europe, played a crucial role in her victory, turning the tide in her favor.