Moldova Court Annuls Capital's Election Result

Rival politicians in Moldova have expressed anger and confusion after a court on Tuesday ruled that the result of the June 3 elections for the mayor of the capital Chisinau was invalid. 

The court had not published the reason for the ruling by the time of publication. Electoral law in Moldova says election results may only be declared invalid if there is proof that they were tampered with by one or more candidates. 

Andrei Nastase, candidate for the Pro-European Dignity and Truth Platform, PPDA, won the second run-off election for the mayoralty on June 3, beating the candidate of the pro-Russian Socialist Party, Ion Ceban.

Nastase, backed by Romania's National Liberal party and the European Popular Party, won 52.57 per cent of the votes while Ceban won 47.43 per cent.

However, Ceban then filed a lawsuit against Nastase, accusing him of unlawful "agitation" during election day and of getting help from "foreign forces".

Nastase, who was in court during Tuesday's deliberations, told the media that the ruling was unjust and that he will file an appeal.

"What happened yesterday was a usurpation of state power," Nastase said on a Facebook broadcast on Wednesday.

"I will sign right now [a request to] appeal this illegal ruling," he continued. Nastase asked his supporters to demonstrate in front of the Chisinau City Hall on Wednesday night.

Ceban also condemned the court ruling and said he would also appeal. "They made me look stupid," he said on Wednesday, explaining that he had sought a ruling against Nastase, not the annullment of the election result.

"If Nastase broke the law, why should I also be affected?" he asked.   

If the decision remains unchanged, an interim mayor will run Chisinau until local...