Moldova is heading into a high-stakes parliamentary election on Sunday that could either further its push to join the European Union or pull the nation closer to Russia.
The tug of war between East and West in Moldova’s politics has imbued the election with outsize importance. Sandwiched between Ukraine and Romania, Moldova, a tiny nation of 2.4 million people, is both strategically important because of its location and a critical test of sentiment toward western Europe.
The vote, for 101 representatives who will serve four-year terms, comes at an unsettled moment in the country’s geopolitics.
The Trump administration has cut foreign assistance, including to Eastern Europe, and pulled away from instruments of American influence in the region, including Radio Free Europe and Voice of America. In Moldova, the pro-European party of President Maia Sandu has said Russia is trying to sway the vote by pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into extensive disinformation campaigns, ones fueled by false news generated by artificial intelligence.
Domestic issues also loom large. Moldova’s economy is barely growing, high energy prices are a burden and poverty is widespread. That has left Ms. Sandu’s party contending with serious grievances.
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The post For Many Moldovans, Their Election Is a Choice Between Russia and the E.U. appeared first on New York Times.
