Moldova chooses EU membership in referendum, 100% of votes now counted – infographic
Moldova’s Central Election Commission has published the preliminary count of 100% of the ballot papers from the referendum on whether to join the European Union. 13,596 more people voted "yes" to EU membership than "no".
Source: European Pravda
Details: The published data shows that 50.46% of voters (751,235 people) voted in favour of adding a provision on a European future to the Moldovan constitution, and 49.54% (737,639 people) voted against.
That resulted in a margin of 13,596 between the number of votes for and against European integration.
Moldova’s constitution will now be amended to include provisions on European integration.
Notably, it was the Moldovan diaspora that ensured this positive result; people living in Moldova voted against closer ties with the EU.
After ballot papers from 85% of the polling stations – mostly located within the country – had been counted, the "yes" vote was just over 45%. The result only shifted in favour of European integration after data began to come in from polling stations abroad with pro-European populations.
Even in the capital, Chisinau, 44% of voters – almost half the population – opposed a European future for Moldova. In Gagauzia, the most pro-Russian region, 95% voted "no".
76.96% of voters abroad (181,254 citizens) supported adding a European integration clause to the constitution, while 23.04% (54,249 citizens) voted against.
In total, 1,488,874 citizens voted in the referendum. The question they were asked was: "Are you in favour of amending the constitution to allow the Republic of Moldova to join the European Union?"
The referendum was held at the same time as the first round of presidential elections, in which the incumbent head of state, Maia Sandu, was victorious – but to win the second and stay in office for a second consecutive term, she will need to defeat pro-Russian candidate Alexandr Stoianoglo.
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