ZAK BENNETT/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCHISINAU, Nov 6 (Reuters) - The party of Moldova's pro-European president came first in hundreds of weekend local elections but was unable to win mayoral seats in the biggest cities, including the capital Chisinau, according to preliminary results on Monday.
Sandu's ruling Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) won more than 40% of the votes cast for mayors, city councillors and district and village councils nationwide.
It won mayoral seats in the first round of voting in 240 of 898 villages, towns and cities.
Those victories were mostly in rural areas and its candidates did not win control of the big cities.
A pro-Russian political party linked to Shor was barred on security grounds from taking part in the elections.
Persons:
Maia Sandu, ZAK BENNETT, Maia Sandu's, Ion Cebal, Lilian Carp, Ilan Shor, Sandu, Shor, Andrei Spinu, Tom Balmforth, Gareth Jones
Organizations:
USAID, Democracy, Ford Foundation Center, Social Justice, 78th United Nations General, Rights, of Action, Solidarity, PAS, funnelling, European Union, Thomson
Locations:
New York City, U.S, Rights CHISINAU, Chisinau, Moscow, Balti, Cahul, Orhei, Russia, Russian, Moldova, Soviet, Romania, Ukraine