Pro-EU candidate Maia Sandu (48), the leader of the Action and Solidarity Party (PAS), won the presidential elections in Moldova with more than 57% of the votes. She was congratulated for her win by Romania's president Klaus Iohannis and Russia's president Vladimir Putin.

After the counting of 99.95% of the ballots cast in the second round of the elections, she led with 57.74% of the votes, according to data from the country's electoral commission. Incumbent socialist president Igor Dodon got 42.26% of the votes.

The country's diaspora voted overwhelmingly for Sandu, with more than 92% of the votes cast abroad in her favor. She also gathered the most votes in the country's capital Chișinău, where she won 59.7% of the votes to Dodon's 40.30%, G4media.ro reported.

In the first round of elections, held on November 1, Sandu won 36.16% of the votes, while Dodon got 32.61%.

Sandu, who is to become Moldova's first woman president, lost the presidential election to Dodon in 2016 after gathering 47.89% of the votes to his 52.11%.

Speaking after the announcement of the results, Sandu spoke of the need of uniting society around common goals. "We all want to live well here, at home, to have a state that protects us, that works for the people not for the thieves. We need a developed economy that offers opportunities here, at home, so that our people are not forced to move away from their loved ones. We have this common agenda, and we all need to work to make these objectives happen," she said, quoted by News.ro.

Sandu studied at Harvard University and worked as an economist at the World Bank before entering politics. She was a prime minister of Moldova from June to November of 2019 and a minister of education from 2012 to 2015. 

Romania's president Klaus Iohannis and PM Ludovic Orban have congratulated Sandu for her win. Klaus Iohannis will make a visit to Moldova after Maia Sandu will officially start her mandate.

"Moldova's citizens have chosen to continue on the European and democratic path, a path of progress. Romania will stand by Moldova in its efforts towards modernization, democratization, and getting closer to the EU," president Iohannis said in a Twitter post.

O felicit pe @sandumaiamd pentru câștigarea alegerilor prezidențiale din #RepublicaMoldova! Cetățenii 🇲🇩 au ales continuarea drumului european și democratic, un drum al progresului! RO va rămâne alături de 🇲🇩 în eforturile reale de modernizare, democratizare și apropiere de UE.

— Klaus Iohannis (@KlausIohannis) November 15, 2020

PM Orban called Sandu's victory a "historic event for the Republic of Moldova." "A competent and responsible president who will modernize the country and bring it closer to Romania and the European Union. Romania's Government will remain a loyal partner for the Republic of Moldova and will support the new president's initiatives from Bucharest and Brussels," Orban said in a Facebook post.

Russia's president Vladimir Putin also congratulated the new president of Moldova. “I hope that your activity as the head of state will contribute to the constructive development of relations between our countries. This, undoubtedly, would meet the fundamental interests of the people of Russia and Moldova,” the Russian president said in a telegram, wishing Maia Sandu success, good health, and prosperity, according to the Kremlin.

(Photo: Gov.ro)

simona@romania-insider.com