Moldovan vote recount: Communists still winners

17 Apr, 2009 17:36 / Updated 16 years ago

According to the Central Election Commission, the Moldovan Communist Party did win the parliamentary election with nearly 50% of the vote.

Election results sparked violent protests on April 5 in the capital of Chisinau, which resulted in large demonstrations and attacks on the Moldovan Parliament and Administration building. In the melee, as many as 90 people were injured and over 200 were arrested.

Moldova’s President Vladimir Voronin, who chairs the ruling Communist party, called for the recount to help restore stability in the country after opposition groups claimed the results were rigged.

However, international observers, including the OSCE, gave their overall approval to the voting process.

Voronin is due to step down on May 7, but since the Communist party will get 60 seats in the parliament, they’ll be able to elect a new leader of the country without requiring the votes from other parties.

The final results of the recount of the April 5 election are expected to be announced on April 21.

The percentages are expected to remain the same, despite claims of vote falsification by the opposition parties.