A constitutional referendum in Moldova calling for the direct election of the president failed to get the necessary turnout to be binding: A voter turnout of 33 percent was required, but less than 30 percent was achieved. This represents a defeat for the ruling pro-European coalition that initiated the referendum, and a victory for the opposition and pro-Russian Communists who called for its boycott. The referendum's importance in Moldova transcends the internal politics of the tiny country; it represents the fact that Moldova has become a key battle ground for Western and Russian power plays. The referendum's defeat is symptomatic of Moscow's growing influence in the country and is directly tied to Russia's consolidation of another former Soviet country: Ukraine.
