Moldova's pro-Russian presidential candidate Igor Dodon has declared victory in Sunday's presidential runoff vote, holding a commanding lead in the former Soviet republic with nearly all votes counted. Igor Dodon, a pro-Moscow figure, has tapped into popular anger with corruption under the pro-European government that came to power in 2009, particularly over about $1 billion that went missing from Moldovan banks before 2014 parliamentary elections. CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) — Moldovans are voting in a presidential election Sunday in which the favorite has promised to restore ties with Russia that cooled after the former Soviet republic signed a trade deal with the European Union.
Voters in Moldova head to the polls in the country's presidential runoff between two opposition candidates, Igor Dodon, from the pro-Russian socialist PSRM, and Maia Sandu, from the pro-EU liberal PAS, with Dodon expected to win. Preliminary results, in this first Moldovan election where the president is chosen by national votes rather than by parliament, will be announced Monday.