Moldovan voters on Sunday cast their votes in a divided presidential runoff, marking the final round of the country's first direct election of its president in 16 years.

Polls show pro-Moscow candidate Igor Dodon, leader of the Socialist Party, leading after failing to reach a majority in the first round of voting with 48 percent.

Dodon has campaigned on restoring ties with Russia after it enacted a trade embargo against Moldova for signing a trade association deal with the EU in 2014.

"Life in Moldova has become unbearable. Our partnership with Russia has been destroyed; we lost access to a massive market," Dodon said in a campaign speech.

"I voted for the future of the country. I am totally convinced that Moldova has a future. It will be independent, united and sovereign," he noted.

'Fighting corruption'

Dodon's pro-European rival Maia Sandu, who garnered 38 percent of the vote in the first round, has instead campaigned on closer ties with Brussels and tackling corruption.

The EU association agreement "is the basis for the country's development," Sandu said during a televised debate.

"It means reforms and fighting corruption, and without this, the country cannot develop; it has no future," she added.

Sandu has also called for Russian troops in the separatist region of Transdniester to withdraw.

Moldova is considered to be Europe's poorest country, according to several international organizations. Some 41 percent of the population lives on less than $5 (4.6 euros) per day.

Partial election results are expected early Monday, according to the electoral commission.

Moldova: A country without parents Left behind Tanya moved to Italy five years ago where she works as a caregiver for the elderly and earns about 850 euros ($960) a month. But her three daughters — Karolina, Sabrina and Olga — were left behind in Moldova. They were 8, 9 and 12 years old, respectively, when she left.

Moldova: A country without parents On the phone with mom The girls initially lived alone at first, even though the oldest was only 12 years old. After a time, they began living with various people, to whom their mother regularly sent money.

Moldova: A country without parents Meals apart Now the eldest daughter, Olga, is finishing high school in Chisinau, while Sabrina and Karolina have joined their mother in Italy.

Moldova: A country without parents Help from the grandmother For the past seven years, Katalina's parents have barely been home. Her parents found jobs in Moscow and later moved to Italy after receiving work visas. Katalina's grandmother lived in a different village, but she eventually moved in with Katalina and her brother, Victor, to look after them.

Moldova: A country without parents Reunited at last Ottilia was barely a year old when her parents left Moldova. Her mother and father paid 4,000 euros each to get into Italy without proper documents. The girl didn't see them for five years and lived with her grandmother, who she called "mom." A year ago, Ottilia's parents managed to get a residence permit in Italy and brought their daughter to live with them.

Moldova: A country without parents Hard work Lilia moved to the West with her husband eight years ago. The couple had to work hard to repay the debt they took on to pay for the illegal border-crossing. Their daughters Nadia and Alina were 9 and 6 at the time.

Moldova: A country without parents Parcels from abroad Lilia sent parcels to her children three times a month. The family is reunited now, but it has come at a high price — the "visas" for the children cost 1,500 euros each.

Moldova: A country without parents Childhood without parents German photographer Andrea Diefenbach tells the story of Moldovan children in her book "Country without parents," published in German by Kehrer-Verlag. Author: Efim Schuhmann and Flora Murphy



ls/tj (AP, AFP, dpa)