 Moreover, in this election Igor Smirnov, the first president of the Pridnestrovian Moldovan Republic, first successfully ran for public office.To illustrate the point that the election signalled the change in city leadership from that of the Communist Party to that of the OSTK, it is important to note that Smirnov ran for the position of chairman of the city Soviet (head of local government) against the secretary of the city Communist Party committee; in the March 23rd session that decided the issue Smirnov took the chairmanship with 86 of the 134 votes, defeating Leonid Turcan with 64% of the vote.Events in Bendery and Rȋbniţa were similar, with OSTK leaders taking control of local government.