Two weeks after winning the thread of “Yes» in the referendum on European Unionthe Moldovans went to the polls today to choose their president and confirm – or not – their European fate, with the election threatened by the risk of Russian meddling.

The 52-year-old outgoing president Maya Sandustaunchly pro-Western, who has turned his back on Moscow after the invasion of Ukrainefaces him Alexander Stojanogloa former prosecutor who has the support of pro-Russian socialists.

Without risking this time giving predictions with numbers, analysts predict an ambiguous battle amid fears of Russian interference – as in parliamentary elections in Georgia, another ex-Soviet republic – despite staunch denials from the Kremlin.

Sandou won the first round of the election by a margin on October 20 with 42.5% of the vote, but her 57-year-old opponent, who received 26%, can count on the support of many candidates with smaller percentages.

The polls opened at 07.00 (local and Greek time) and will close at 21.00, with the first results expected a little later.

Between the two rounds, the presidential camp has stepped up its campaign on social media and in the villages in a bid to counter massive vote-buying, which authorities say marred the results of the referendum, which turned out to be much more marginal than expected (50.35% for “yes”).

Despite the “uneven” battle “we took the first step”, said Maya Sandu. “We still have to win the elections on Sunday, and then move towards European integration by 2030,” he said, as negotiations for the country’s EU membership officially opened in June.

In her most recent message to the 2.6 million inhabitants, the former World Bank economist asked them to mobilize in order to capture the true will of the citizens.

“Don’t fall for scammers” is the message that has been heard strongly in the last days of a campaign that has been fought in a climate of tension. “If you are offered money to vote against a candidate, refuse,” police warned, via phone messages or loudspeaker announcements in supermarkets.

Opposite her, Soyanoglo he promised to be “everyone’s president” speaking of a balanced foreign policy that “will not divide society”.

The country is extremely polarized, between, on the one hand, the diaspora and the capital, which are mostly oriented towards the European goal, and on the other, the rural areas and two regions, the autonomous province of Transnistria and the autonomous Gagauzia, which are directed towards Russia.