UPDATE 2 - Referendum putting Moldova on track for EU membership yields narrow win

UPDATES WITH LATEST INFORMATION & EU AND KREMLIN STATEMENTS; REVISES HEADLINE & LEDE; EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Talha Ozturk and Burc Eruygur

BELGRADE, Serbia / ISTANBUL (AA) – Moldova's referendum to enshrine the country’s path to EU membership in the country's Constitution yielded a narrow Yes vote, though the final results of the vote have yet to be announced.

According to the latest data from Moldova's Central Electoral Commission (CEC) on Monday, 50.42% of voters supported the constitutional amendment, while 49.58% voted against, based on 99.82% of ballots counted.

Initial results from the referendum released late Sunday showed that around 55% of the votes were against the proposal, while nearly 45% were in favor, representing a major shift as more ballots were counted.

The referendum took place simultaneously with a presidential election in which incumbent President Maia Sandu, seen as pro-Western, is seeking a second term in office.

According to the CEC, based on 99.82% of ballots counted, Sandu won 42.41% of the vote, while her closest opponent Alexandr Stoianoglo garnered 26%.

As a result, both Sandu and Stoianoglo are set to face each other in a runoff for Moldova's presidency on Nov. 3, as no presidential candidate managed to win more than half of the vote.

The voting was marked with accusations of external influence, particularly by Sandu, who accused "criminal groups," which she claimed work with "foreign forces hostile to our national interests," of trying to keep the country "trapped in uncertainty and instability."

"We have clear evidence that these criminal groups aimed to buy 300,000 votes – a fraud of unprecedented scale. Their objective was to undermine a democratic process. Their intention is to spread fear and panic in the society," Sandu said on X.

EU spokesperson Peter Stano similarly said: "This vote took place under unprecedented interference and intimidation by Russia and its proxies, aiming to destabilize the democratic processes in the Republic of Moldova.”

Rebuffing the accusations, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said they need to provide evidence of the alleged interference.

On the apparent win, Sandu said on X: “The people of Moldova have spoken: our EU future will now be anchored in the constitution. We fought fairly in an unfair fight – and we won. But the fight isn’t over. We will keep pushing for peace, prosperity, and the freedom to build our own future.”

“Congratulations to the people of Moldova and to you, @sandumaiamd,” Ursula von der Leyen, EU Commission president, wrote in response. “You’ve done it again! In the face of Russia’s hybrid tactics, Moldova shows that it is independent, it is strong and it wants a European future!”

Russia is opposed to EU membership in Moldova, which borders Ukraine.