Moldova, an Eastern European country, was part of the Soviet republic until 1991. Sandu’s reelection came amidst an election that was laced with allegations of Russian interference and was marred by fake bomb threats. There were attempted cyberattacks on polling stations.

Moldovans will head to the polls to cast ballots in a tense parliamentary election fraught with claims of Russian interference.

A billboard along the road between the Moldovan town of Calarasi and the capital Chisinau contains no slogan or imperative, just a simple statement of fact: “Part of your electricity bill is paid by the government with the help of the European Union,

Moldova goes to the polls on September 28 in parliamentary elections, with the pro-Western government saying Russian disinformation is boosting support for opposition parties. But widespread poverty in the country has made it vulnerable to messaging.

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The result should enable Sandu’s party to form a coalition that will confirm the country’s aspiration to become an EU member by 2030. It follows her own re-election on a similar platform in last year’s presidential contest.