With 97 percent of the votes counted in the parliamentary elections in Moldova, the ruling Communist Party is still the largest single party but it has lost its overall majority.

Taken together the four opposition parties will have more seats than the Communists. The four parties say they will be looking into the formation of a coalition government.
 

The people of Moldova last went to the polls in early April, when the Communist Party took around 50 percent of the votes. That election was followed by accusations of fraud, which led to violent protests in the capital Chisinau.
 

The opposition also refused to take part in the voting for a new president to replace Vladimir Voronin who had served two four-year terms of office and must stand down. President Voronin finally agreed to end the impasse by calling new elections.
 

Moldova is situated between Romania and Ukraine and is one of the poorest countries in Europe.