Moldovan parliament votes to hold elections on September 28

CHISINAU (Reuters) - Moldova's parliament voted on Thursday to hold parliamentary elections in September, a poll that is expected to be closely fought and could significantly reduce the number of seats held by President Maia Sandu's pro-Western PAS party.

Sandu is seeking to take Moldova into the European Union and move away from Moscow, which formerly ruled the small eastern European nation sandwiched between Ukraine and Romania.

Alexander Stoianoglo, the former prosecutor-general who came closer than expected to unseating Sandu in a presidential election last year, is leading a coalition of three parties to challenge PAS' majority.

Stoianoglo narrowly lost in a run-off after campaigning for a balanced foreign policy that would look to Russia as well as the West.

Fifty-seven lawmakers supported a motion on Thursday to hold elections on September 28, while 32 abstained.

(Reporting by Alexander Tanas; Writing by Max Hunder; Editing by Sharon Singleton and Frances Kerry)