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But in the capital, Chisinau, none of the 18 candidates for mayor won more than 50 percent of the vote. A runoff is scheduled for June 27 between the top two candidates, the Communists' Veaceslav Iordan and the Liberal Party's Dorin Chirtoaca.
Voters living in the pro-Russian separatist region of Transdniester did not take part in the ballot because the region's leaders do not recognize Moldova's authority in the area.
The vote was seen as a midterm electoral test for the Communists, who won the general election in 2005.
The big prize in the poll is Chisinau, where the Communist candidate was seen as a favorite to win the post of mayor for the first time, although not from the first round.
Copyright (c) 2006. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org
Posted June 4th, 2007 by Dinka
