AND FINALLY - DEMOCRACY WINS OUT

The last ruling old style ruling Communist Party has just been defeated it the polls in Moldova, where the four main opposition parties won just over half the votes and seats in parliamentary elections, with the Communists gaining 45 per cent. This former Soviet republic has been in political stalemate since questionable elections in April. Now a pro-EU coalition government is likely to emerge in Moldova and hopefully

Communist Party - 45.1%

Liberal Democratic Party - 16.4%

Liberal Party - 14.4%

Democratic Party - 12.5%

Our Moldova Alliance - 7.4%

Official turnout was 58.8%, up from 54% in April.

Based on 97% of votes counted (Source: Central Election Commission).

With 97% of ballots counted, the four main opposition parties have 50.7% compared with 45.1% for the Communists. Opposition leaders say they will form an alliance if the result is confirmed. The election last Wednesday was a re-run of the election in April, which was followed by days of violent demonstrations because of allegations of vote-rigging.

The Communist Party has been in government in Moldova since 2001, and the county remains one of Europe's poorest countries. It is ironic that the last country in Europe to reject the rule of a Communist party via the ballot box is one of Europe’s poorest states, a former Soviet republic with a population close to the size of Denmark although somewhat far from Denmark’s living standards.

Once again in a relatively straight fight the Communists’ lose out at the polls. Which leaves us with the remaining Communist Dictatorships in Cuba and the People’s Republic of China? The question is for how much longer can the remaining Communist Dictatorships hold sway and cling onto power?