The Party of Auction and Solidarity’s candidate Maia Sandu would gain 54.7% of the vote, while independent candidate Igor Dodon, who is supported by the Party of Socialists - 45.3%, according to the After Poll conducted by an initiative group representing civil society, IPN reports.
In a press briefing, sociologist Vasile Cantarji, of CBS Research, said the poll was carried out by phone between 12 noon and 8pm and covered 5,212 respondents. Of these, 2,904 said that they cast their ballots and 1,983 agreed to say who they voted for. In the interview, the respondents were asked if they voted and who of the candidates they voted for. The refusal rate was 28%, as opposed to 38% in the first round of voting. The poll does cover the diaspora and those from the Transnistrian region.
“Given the data concerning the voter turnout, including at out-of-country polling stations established for the diaspora, at this stage we can already state with enough certainty that Missis Maia Sandu won these elections,” stated Valeriu Pașa, “WatchDog.MD” expert.
Independent expert Ștefan Gligor said that today is a historical day, regardless of the results, as an incredible mobilization capacity was witnessed. The data will be different when the votes of the Transnistrians and of the Moldovans abroad are counted. “I hope a lot that the posted results will not be seriously affected by the multiple violations and frauds we witnessed today,” he noted.
Institute for Public Policy director Arcadie Barbăroșie stated that these are semifinal results that can yet change given the vote abroad. Igor Dodon should accept the results and should concede power to his opponent as she appears to be the leader.
Independent analyst Victor Ciobanu said that this difference between the two candidates will yet rise when the final results are presented and this rise will be in favor of the PAS candidature owing to the vote abroad. The incumbent President lamentably lost this “referendum” on the results he achieved during the past four years.
The final After Poll results will be presented at 10pm.
