PAS led by Maia Sandu won ~50% in 2025 parliamentary elections; Patriotic Bloc ~24%

1. PAS’s result: narrow numeric consensus, broad political significance

Multiple major outlets reported PAS secured just over 50% of the vote — BBC gave 50.17%, Politico 50.2% and The Guardian/Reuters/others reported figures in the 50.0–50.2% range — and that translates into a clear parliamentary majority (about 55 seats) for a party that already governed alone since 2021 ^{[1] [2] [6] [7]}. Analysts and European leaders described the outcome as pivotal because it preserves Moldova’s pro‑EU trajectory and keeps executive and legislative power aligned behind Maia Sandu’s agenda ^{[4] [8]}.

2. Patriotic Bloc’s share: consistent runner‑up across sources

Reporting is consistent that the Patriotic Electoral Bloc finished second with roughly 24% of the vote — BBC reported 24.18%, Politico 24.2% and Al Jazeera 24.19% — securing a significant parliamentary opposition but far short of displacing PAS ^{[1] [2] [9]}. The bloc is an alliance of Socialist, Communist and allied parties whose rise in early returns generated alarm among pro‑EU backers but ultimately did not translate into a winning plurality ^{[10] [9]}.

3. Disputed narratives and competing snapshots of the count

The election night narrative split: pro‑Western media and Moldova’s electoral commission released near‑final counts favoring PAS (50% vs ~24%), while opposition and Russian‑aligned outlets circulated earlier tallies or selective precinct results that temporarily showed the Patriotic Bloc leading in domestic protocols — fueling claims of later “shifts” as diaspora and remaining precincts were added ^{[10] [11] [5]}. Both sides used those figures: Western capitals hailed the final margin as proof Russia failed to flip Moldova, while pro‑opposition channels alleged irregularities and called for protests ^{[4] [12]}.

4. Role of the diaspora and turnout in shaping the final number

Observers and local reporting underlined the diaspora vote as decisive: roughly 280,000–281,000 votes from abroad were reported as important to PAS’s margin, and turnout reached about 52% — the highest for a parliamentary contest since 2014 in some accounts — amplifying the diaspora’s weight in a nationwide closed‑list PR system ^{[13] [7]}. Several outlets note that ballots from abroad traditionally favor pro‑EU parties and can swing tight national tallies ^{[2] [13]}.

5. Interference allegations and the information environment

Moldovan authorities and Western governments accused Russia of an “unprecedented” interference campaign involving disinformation and vote‑buying; EU leaders publicly condemned attempts to influence the result ^{[4] [14]}. Reuters and think‑tank pieces cited alleged Russian plans and funding to influence the vote; Russia denied responsibility and highlighted logistical limits on voting within the Russian Federation as a grievance ^{[15] [4] [1]}.

6. What the numbers mean — immediate governance and longer term risks

With PAS able to govern alone again, Moldova’s European reform agenda can proceed without coalition bargaining, according to analysts and European officials; that strengthens the country’s EU accession prospects but also concentrates political stakes at home, increasing the incentive for opponents and external actors to contest outcomes or erode trust in institutions ^{[7] [8] [16]}. Independent observers’ final verification and any legal challenges will determine whether the result is fully consolidated; sources reporting protests and opposition claims indicate the risk of continued polarisation ^{[12] [5]}.

Limitations and open questions: available sources show a tight numerical consensus on the 50% vs ~24% split but also document competing early tallies and political contestation; sources do not provide a definitive, single forensic audit of all alleged irregularities — independent observers’ formal statements and any legal rulings are the next factual checkpoints ^{[1] [9] [12]}.