An opposition candidate in Moldova, Maia Sandu, is set to make history, defeating incumbent President Igor Dodon in a run-off vote to become the country’s first female leader. 

According to preliminary results announced by Moldova’s Central Election Commission, Sandu, a former World Bank economist and Moldova’s former prime minister scored an emphatic victory at the polls. The numbers show that Sandu scored 57.7 percent of the vote in comparison to President Dodon’s 42.2 percent. The former prime minister has said that as president she would make it her priority to tackle corruption and unite the country. She, however, faces huge challenges including dealing with the coronavirus pandemic and the economy, with Moldova remaining one of the poorest countries in Europe.

As of Sunday evening, more than 1.6 million people – almost 53% of the population with the right to vote – were confirmed to have taken part in the run-off ballot, data on the Central Election Commission website (in Romanian and Russian) shows.

Dodon Loses Despite Support From Russia

Outgoing President Dodon’s loss at the polls comes as a surprise following massive public support from Russia, as President Vladimir Putin had openly backed him in this race. Sandu, on the other hand, is in favor of closer ties with the European Union (EU). 

Still, Moldova is a parliamentary republic. Presidents struggle to get things done without a parliamentary majority, and that is something Sandu does not have.

Dodon said on Monday he would concede defeat if the courts find nothing inappropriate occurred in the voting process. “If the courts confirm that everything is ok, then we will put a full stop here,” Dodon said.

Following the first round of voting two weeks ago, the national electoral authority said Sandu received 36.1% of votes, while Dodon gathered 32.6%. However, a run-off was agreed on as Sandu failed to secure enough votes for an outright victory.