Moldovans head to the polls on Sunday to elect their new parliament, after the previous one was dissolved by new pro-European president Maia Sandu in April. 

After defeating Kremlin-backed president Igor Dodon in November, Sandu, the country's first female president and a former World Bank economist, now aims to shift Moldova's focus away from Russia and join the European Union.

But between the new president and her political agenda stood a parliament still mostly loyal to Dodon, that Sandu was able to dissolve only in April when the state of emergency the country was under was lifted by Moldova's constitutional court.

The snap elections called by Sandu will be key to ease a stand-off between the new president and a majority of lawmakers in parliament, who twice refused to appoint prime ministers Sandu had proposed.

"I've voted for a new parliament with honest people who will allow us to get rid of those who have robbed Moldova all these years," Sandu said after voting.

Dodon, on the other hand, has accused Sandu of pursuing a pro-Western policy that would lead to the collapse of the state. He encouraged Moldovans "to vote for professionals, patriots of Moldova, and not those who will put Moldova under external control." 

Moldovans are voting on Sunday until 9 p.m. (18:00 GMT).

They will have a choice between 20 parties and two electoral blocks, among which, according to predictions, Sandu's center-right Action and Solidarity (PAS) party should be leading with 35-37 percent of the vote against 21-27 percent for the rival coalition of socialists and communists led by Dodon.

Despite analysts anticipating Sandu's party's victory, the results are far from predictable, as it is hard for experts to assess the impact of the Moldovan diaspora, which during last year's presidential elections played a key role in Sandu's success.

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To enter parliament, an independent candidate must receive at least 2 percent of the votes cast, a party must win at least 5 percent and a bloc at least 7 percent. 

The 101 members of parliament elected on Sunday will stay in post in the country of 3.5 million people for four years.

_{Cover image: Sergei Gapon/AFP}