Moldova's Presidential Election: Record 10 Candidates and Incumbent Sandu Run for Top Job

Moldova has approved 11 people to run in next month's presidential election, a record number of presidential candidates.

This is reported by Reuters.

Sandu is leading in polls against ten other contenders, including the sacked Prosecutor General of Moldova Alexandr Stoianoglo, who is supported by pro-Russian opposition parties, and Renato Usatîi, who advocates ‘good ties’ with both the West and Moscow.

According to a poll in Moldova conducted on 23 September, Sandu was supported by 25.8% of Moldovans, Usatîi by 12.7%, and Stoianoglo by 11.2%.

On 1 August, the presidential election campaign officially began in Moldova. On 7 August, it became known that the Moldovan Central Election Commission had refused to register the pro-Russian Pobeda bloc to participate in the presidential election and referendum.

Maia Sandu is the first female president of independent Moldova. In the second round of the election, she defeated Igor Dodon, who had been ruling the country since 2016.

According to the results of the vote, Sandu was 15 percentage points ahead of Dodon. She was supported by 57.75% of voters, while the incumbent president received 42.25%.

Earlier it was reported that presidential candidates in Moldova will take the state language test for the first time before the elections in October 2024.