PAS Wins Outright Majority in Parliamentary Election Marred by Russian Interference Claims

President Maia Sandu's pro-EU Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) won 50.2% of the vote and 55 of 101 seats in the September 28 parliamentary election, retaining an outright majority. The pro-Russian Patriotic Electoral Bloc, led by former president Igor Dodon, placed second with 24.6% and 26 seats. Turnout was 52.2%, with a record ~280,000 diaspora votes (78% for PAS) proving decisive. Sandu accused Russia of spending hundreds of millions of euros to sway the result; police separately alleged fugitive oligarch Ilan Shor financed a vote-buying and disinformation operation reaching over 150,000 voters.