Moldovans Decide On EU Future In Presidential Election, Referendum

Voters in Moldova headed to ballot boxes on October 20. Voting at a polling station in the capital, Chisinau, started in darkness due to a blackout. President Maia Sandu is seeking a second term in the presidential election. Upon her initiative, the polls are combined with a plebiscite on a constitutional amendment that would secure the country's ambition to join the European Union. EU and U.S. officials have warned that the electoral process could face meddling by Russia. The Kremlin has repeatedly signaled that it still considers Moldova as part of its traditional sphere of influence.