By Petru Negura
The victory of Maia Sandu in the November 2020 presidential elections is a remarkable political event for the Republic of Moldova and the CIS countries for several reasons. The legitimacy of this victory is indisputable. Maia Sandu, a graduate of Harvard University and former adviser to the director of the World Bank in Washington D.C., defeated her opponent Igor Dodon, the leader of the Socialist Party, by over 15 percentage points (57.72% compared to 42.28%). Sandu secured a bigger share of the vote than any other candidate in the history of elections in Moldova since 1991. She is the first politician in Moldova to win elections with a platform focused exclusively on the fight against corruption and for the rule of law. Last but not least, Maia Sandu is the first woman to win in a close and unequal fight with her male opponents, primarily with the incumbent President Igor Dodon. She thus becomes the first female president of the Republic of Moldova and is, for now, the only woman president in the CIS space.