Pro-Russians Eye Victory in Local Elections in Moldova

Pro-Russian Socialists are expected to triumph in the local elections being held on Sunday in Moldova, where all eyes are on the outcome in the pro-European bastion of the capital, Chisinau.

Moldovan citizens are voting to fill posts in 898 town and city councils across the country, as well for four seats in parliament - vacant since two deputies resigned and two others were appointed to government posts.

While the pro-Russian Socialists are the favourites in the campaign nationally, most eyes are focused on the outcome of the mayoral race in Chisinau, where 17 candidates are fighting for the job of running the capital.

The main battle in the city, as in the last election in 2018, will be between the Socialist candidate, Ion Ceban, and the candidate of the pro-EU ACUM bloc, Andrei Nastase.

The mayoral election is due to take place in two rounds if no candidate polls over 50 per cent plus of the votes plus one.

In the last mayoral election in Chisinau, held in June last year, Nastase beat Ceban - but the result was overturned by the courts in a controversial ruling.

At present, Ceban stands to win 26.5 per cent of the votes compared to 21.4 per cent for Nastase, according to a CBS-Axis poll ordered by the NGO WatchDog and presented on October 14.

Since the former Soviet republic became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991, a pro-Russian Socialist has never run City Hall in Chisinau - but Ceban now stands of good chance of winning, according to surveys.

In his campaign, Ceban has not used the symbols of the Socialist Party, perhaps noting that in previous races, candidates campaigning under such symbols always lost.

The centre-right forces are desperate not to let the Socialists take over Chisinau, as this...