Opposition candidate Maia Sandu won presidential election run-off in Moldova, defeating pro-Moscow incumbent Igor Dodon, preliminary results from the central election commission showed on Monday.
The commission’s data showed Sandu had 57.74% of votes and Dodon had 42.26% after 99.95% of ballots had been counted.
“Preliminary data is clear, they speak for themselves,” Vladimir Sarban, the commission’s deputy head, told a news conference.
He said the final results would be announced within five days. According to Moldova’s legislation, the Constitutional Court must approve the results.
Sandu, 48, has said she would secure more financial support from the EU as president.
Dodon said on Monday he would concede defeat in the presidential election if local courts find no violations.
“If the courts confirm that everything is ok, then we will put a full stop here,” Dodon said.
Moldova, squeezed between Ukraine and EU-member Romania, has suffered political instability in the past decade.
