Who is Igor Dodon, the new Socialist president of Moldova?

Socialist Igor Dodon, who won the presidential elections in the Republic of Moldova on Sunday, began his political career in the Moldovan Communist Party and became an MP in 2009. He later left the Communist faction in the Parliament and joined the Socialist Party of Moldova (PSRM). He began his political career during the regime of the Communist Vladimir Voronin, the third President of Moldova from 2001 until 2009 and the First Secretary of the Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova since 1994. Dodon has always been open about his preference for Russia, even to the detriment of a relationship with the European Union. In 2014, he said that Moldova should give up the Free Trade and Association Agreement with the EU to end the blocking of exports of agri-food products from Moldova to Russia. In the last televised confrontation with pro-European candidate Maia Sandu, which took place on Thursday evening, Dodon said that he would make the first official visit as a president to Russia, where he will discuss about resuming exports and the situation of the Moldovan migrants, who should have decent work conditions. “Without the Russian market, Moldova’s economy will not survive,” Dodon said. He also said he would continue Moldova’s relations with the European Union. Dodon also promised that he would cancel the Baccalaureate exam for high school students if he’s elected president. The Baccalaureate will be mandatory only for those who wish to continue their studies abroad. He blamed Maia Sandu, who was an Education Minister from 2012 until 2015, for the suicide of 400 students. He said that the high suicide rate is related to the reforms implemented by Sandu, including surveillance cameras at the Baccalaureate exam. Moldovan presidential candidate wants to remove Romania’s history from schools editor@romania-insider.com (photo source: Dodon Igor on Facebook)