site.btaUPDATED Three Parties, Two Coalitions Set to Enter Moldova's Parliament - Early Returns

Three parties and two coalitions are set to enter Moldova's new parliament, according to early results released by the Central Electoral Commission (CEC).

Based on 94% of tally sheets, the pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS), founded by President Maia Sandu, leads with 47.4% of the vote.

The opposition Patriotic Bloc, made up of four pro-Russian parties, is second with nearly 26%. The coalition called a protest outside the CEC headquarters on Sunday.

The Alternative Electoral Bloc, led by Chisinau Mayor Ion Ceban along with former prime minister Ion Chicu, former prosecutor general and presidential candidate Alexandr Stoianoglo and ex-presidential adviser Mark Tkachuk, is third with about 8.5%.

Renato Usatii's Our Party overtook the Democracy at Home party in the latest count, placing fourth with 6.2%.

Democracy at Home, led by Vasile Costiuc and advocating unification with Romania, follows in fifth place with 5.6%.

The ruling Party of Action and Solidarity also leads in voting abroad, according to preliminary data from the Central Electoral Commission. The Patriotic Bloc is second, followed by Our Party in third place.

There were 1,973 voting sections in Moldova and 301 sections in 41 countries abroad. CEC reported 52.11% voter turnout.

The rest of the parties, coalitions and independent candidates did not garner enough votes to win seats in the 101-seat legislature. The electoral threshold is 5% for parties, 7%f or coalitions and 2% for independent candidates, of whom there were four in Sunday's elections.

Moldova's parliamentary elections came at a critical moment for the country, which is an EU candidate but lies close to the war in Ukraine. Moldovan authorities say the country is regularly subjected to pressure and hybrid attacks from Moscow.

Russia denies interfering in Moldova's internal affairs and has accused Chisinau of fueling anti-Russian hysteria to win the elections.

The pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity has pledged to secure Moldova's accession to the EU by 2030. Without a parliamentary majority, however, the party will need coalition partners among parties which have had a pro-Russian orientation in the past. PAS leader Igor Grosu, the outgoing president of parliament, said recently that if PAS does not win a majority, it will go into opposition.