An exit poll in Moldova's parliamentary election on Sunday showed the Communists, former allies of Moscow now committed to European integration, in the lead and on course to keep their majority. The poll, funded by two independent television channels and based on preliminary data from 225 polling stations, gave the Communists 42 percent to 28 percent for the centrist Democratic Molodva Bloc, which seeks good ties with Moscow and the West. The pro-Romanian Christian Democrats were third with 14 percent. Parliament elects the president in ex-Soviet Moldova and a majority would make Communist President Vladimir Voronin a heavy favourite to keep his job.
