February 25 (SeeNews) - Moldova's opposition pro-Russian Socialist Party (PSRM) has won the most votes in Moldova's general election but fell short of absolute majority, preliminary official results showed on Monday.
PSRM led with 31.28% of the votes, the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) said, based on ballots cast in 98.13% of polling stations in Sunday's election.
ACUM electoral bloc formed by the pro-European Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) led by Maia Sandu and the Dignity and Truth Platform (PPDA) of Andrei Nastase came second with 26.3%.
Governing Democratic Party (PDM) led by Vlad Plahotniuc received 23.9% of the votes.
The fourth party which exceeded the 6% threshold to enter the 101-seat parliament is Sor Party, led by businessman Ilan Sor, with 8.43%.
Voter turnout was 49.22% by 1900 CET on Sunday, when polling stations closed, according to the latest data available from CEC. Turnout in the previous general election, held in 2014, was almost 56%.
The February 24 vote was held under a new mixed system introduced in 2017 - 50 MPs will be elected on party lists and the remaining 51 will be elected in individual constituencies.