Igor Dodon and Maia Sandu would compete in the presidential runoffs, according to the results of the “After Poll” conducted by an initiative group representing civil society. According to the data obtained by phone, independent candidate Igor Dodon, who is supported by the Party of Socialists, would win 40.1% of the vote, while the PAS candidate Maia Sandu – 35.1%, IPN reports.
According to the final poll results, the Our Party’s candidate Renato Usatyi would gain 11.4% of the vote, the Shor Party’s candidate Violeta Ivanov – 6.4%, the PPPDA candidate Andrei Năstase – 2.9%, the PUN candidate Octavian Țîcu – 1.9%, the UNION Bloc’s candidate Dorin Chirtoacă – 1.3%, the PLDM candidate Tudor Deliu – 1%.
In a press briefing, “WatchDog.MD” expert Valeriu Pașa said the poll does not include the respondents from the diaspora and those from the Transnistrian region.
Sociologist Vasile Cantarji, of CBS Research, said that 4,672 persons were contacted, 3 096 of whom had voted. However, only 1,865 agreed to answers the questions. The calls were made between midday and 9:30pm. The refusal rate was 36%.
Independent analyst Victor Ciobanu said the slight rise in the case of Maia Sandu was confirmed as the voters of the right usually go to the polls later during the day. The poll will be also conducted in the runoffs and the people are urged to answer as sincerely as possible. The refusal rate is due to the pseudo-phone polls of the election campaign that were aimed at manipulating the voters.
Institute for Public Policy director Arcadie Barbăroșie stated that the exercise was very useful as the citizens next time will answer more actively. The people probably do not trust those who put questions, but the study authors publish only the answer, not yet information about the person. The figures are approximate as the results of the polling in the diaspora and the Transnistrian region haven’t been added yet. Nevertheless, the first two candidates will most probably keep their positions and will compete in the runoffs.
Independent expert Ștefan Gligor said that despite the government’s criticism of this exercise, the results are maximally objective and transparent and society needs such exercises, especially in the wake of the irregularities witnessed today. The right to vote of the citizens from the diaspora was again limited and voters residing in the Transnistrian region were again transported in an organized way.
