Moldovans appeared to have rejected plans for the former Soviet republic to add its goal of joining the European Union to the constitution, the results from 70% of ballots in the country's referendum showed on Sunday evening.

The election commission said that 55% of voters from the partial count had said "no" to the proposal, while almost 45% had said "yes."

A largely agricultural country of around 2.5 million people, Moldova has sought to cut ties with Moscow and move closer to the EU since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The former Soviet republic began EU membership talks in June.

Ahead of the referendum, surveys showed around 55% of Moldovans would support the move, while 34% were against it.

The turnout was close to 50%, far higher than the 33% needed for the result to be valid.

Pro-Russian parties had urged people to vote "no" or boycott the vote altogether.

Sandu takes narrow lead in the presidential election

Meanwhile, incumbent Maia Sandu was closer to a second term in office, after partial results in the country's presidential election gave her a small lead over her main rival.

The results suggested that Sandu had won 35% of the votes and so is likely to face her closest competitor Alexandr Stoianoglo in the second round. So far, he had a higher-than-expected 29%.

Turnout for the presidential election stood at more than 51%.

Who else is vying for the presidency?

Pro-Western Sandu competed against 10 other presidential candidates — including some advocating closer ties with Russia.

Although the 52-year-old was the clear favorite to win, recent polls suggest she only has around 36% support.

Stoianoglo, a 57-year-old former prosecutor supported by the pro-Russian Socialists, polled at just 9% ahead of the vote.

Renato Usatii, a 45-year-old former mayor of Moldova's second-largest city Balti, was predicted to win 6.4% of the vote, polls conducted before the election said.

Should no candidate win a majority, the vote will head to a second round on November 3.

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Votes marred by allegations of Russian interference

Ahead of Sunday's election, Moldovan authorities said they had uncovered a massive vote-buying scheme allegedly involving millions of dollars from Russia.

Police have accused Ilan Shor, a fugitive businessman and former politician living in Russia, of trying to pay voters to back a specific presidential candidate and vote "no" in the EU referendum.

Shor, who was convicted in absentia of fraud last year, is under Western sanctions and denies wrongdoing. 

Police warned this week that up to a quarter of ballots could be tainted by Russian cash.

Authorities also said they had uncovered a plan that involved hundreds of people being taken to Russia to be trained to stage riots and create "mass disorder" in Moldova.

Sandu has repeatedly issued warnings about Russian efforts to meddle in the vote — allegations Moscow has rejected.

mm, nm/rc (Reuters, AFP, dpa)