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CHISINAU, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- Socialist candidate Igor Dodon led in Moldova's presidential runoff on Sunday, gaining 55.03 percent of votes, while his rival Maia Sandu got 44.97 percent, after 97.21 percent of the votes were counted, according to the Central Election Commission.
The voter turnout at the presidential polls, which ended at 9:00 p.m. local time in the country, was over 53 percent of the eligible voters, with some 5 percent more than at the first round two weeks ago.
Moldova held the presidential runoff on Sunday, as none of the nine candidates competing in the presidential race received an absolute majority of the votes (50 percent, plus one vote) in the first round of direct presidential elections on Oct. 30, a change from the past 16 years during which the head of state was indirectly elected by the parliament.
The balance of power between the two top finishers after the first round is 47.98 to 38.71 percent, with Sandu at nearly 10 percent fewer votes.
