Moldovans have voted in parliamentary elections seen as critical for their future path to the European Union amid allegations of massive Russian interference before the vote.
The claims, first made by Moldova's authorities, were repeated by pro-EU President Maia Sandu, who warned the future of her country, flanked by Ukraine and Romania, was in danger.
Partial results will emerge in the coming hours, and the electoral commission said turnout by the end of voting at 21:00 (18:00 GMT) was just under 52%.
Two political forces are neck and neck: Sandu's Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) and the pro-Russian Patriotic Electoral Bloc.
Another crucial factor is the more than 267,000 voters who turned out in the largely pro-Western diaspora. Tensions have spiked, with bomb scares reported at polling stations in Italy, Romania, Spain, and the U.S., as well as in Moldova itself.
Moldova also has a pro-Russian breakaway enclave called Transnistria along its border with Ukraine, complete with a Russian military presence. Residents there hold Moldovan passports and predominantly support Moscow.
Moldovans have faced economic challenges and threats from Russia, especially following the invasion of Ukraine. President Sandu won a second term in November and emphasized that the future of their democracy lies in the voters' hands: Don't play with your vote or you'll lose everything!
If her PAS party loses its majority in the 101-seat parliament, it will have to rely on support from parties like the Alternativa bloc or the populist Our Party.
Socialist leader Igor Dodon, a main rival within the Patriotic Electoral Bloc, accused pro-European authorities of planning to cancel the election, alleging the pro-Russian opposition is winning. Days before the vote, police reported substantial efforts by Russia to foment unrest and spread disinformation.
Russian sympathies remain strong in Transnistria, complicating freedom and choice within the larger Moldovan electoral process.
