Moldova’s pro-European party has claimed victory in a fiercely contested election, the preliminary results indicate. This win allows them to maintain their parliamentary majority after what many observers have deemed the most significant campaign in the nation’s recent history, despite extensive Russian interference.
This outcome, which awaits official confirmation from the national election commission, could significantly advance Moldova’s aspirations to join the European Union. Had pro-Russian factions gained substantial ground in the race, this prospect would have faced considerable jeopardy.
Despite being a small nation of just 2.4 million people, Moldova’s election garnered immense global attention. Positioned strategically between Romania and Ukraine, its future direction is particularly crucial as the conflict in Ukraine continues. The vote essentially became a referendum on Moldova’s alignment: to embrace a future with Europe or remain tied to Russia.
The anticipated triumph of President Maia Sandu’s pro-EU Party of Action and Solidarity signals that pressing domestic issues, such as high gas prices and widespread poverty, have not derailed the country’s European ambitions.
A map illustrates the strategic location of Moldova, a small nation nestled between Romania and Ukraine, with Russia positioned to its northeast.
With nearly all ballots tallied by Monday morning, Moldova’s official election data showed President Sandu’s party securing just over 50 percent of the vote. This provided a comfortable lead over the second-place contender, the pro-Russian Patriotic Electoral Bloc, which garnered 24 percent.
Given the intricacies of Moldova’s electoral system, this result is expected to guarantee the pro-European party more than half of the 101 seats in Parliament.
This election unfolded at a critical juncture in Moldova’s geopolitical landscape. As a former Soviet republic, Moldova shares deep historical ties with Russia, yet it has increasingly gravitated towards the European Union in recent years.
Maia Sandu was elected president in 2020.
Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, many Moldovans increasingly viewed closer ties with Europe as the most effective path to avoid future domination by Moscow. The country formally applied for EU membership, and last October, a referendum solidified support for joining the bloc into the Moldovan Constitution.
However, that measure passed by a narrow margin, with 50.4 percent in favor and 49.5 percent against. This razor-thin victory highlighted the very real risk that Ms. Sandu’s party could lose ground in the recent election.
An image shows soldiers diligently waiting to cast their votes at a polling station in Chisinau on Sunday.
Pro-Russian parties campaigned primarily on issues of security and national sovereignty. They cautioned that Ms. Sandu’s policies risked embroiling Moldova in conflict with Russia, that closer ties with the European Union would erode Moldova’s unique identity, and that the ruling party was out of step with traditional family values.
They also heavily emphasized concerns over high prices, especially for gas.
These messages resonated with a segment of the electorate.
Palina Velimboskaia, a 62-year-old accountant, expressed her apprehension that the European Union might instigate war and draw Moldova into it. Outside a polling place in Chisinau, the capital, she critically labeled Ms. Sandu’s party a “dictatorship.”
Her sentiments closely mirrored the widespread messaging disseminated by the pro-Russian parties.
According to Ms. Sandu’s party, Russia attempted to manipulate the election results by funneling vast sums—hundreds of millions of dollars—into voter bribery and orchestrating an extensive disinformation campaign. This included fabricated YouTube videos falsely linking Ms. Sandu to made-up scandals, such as an alleged illegal celebrity sperm purchase. Baseless claims of vote-rigging were also widely circulated.
On Sunday, as citizens cast their votes, the Moldovan government reported a barrage of cyberattacks targeting electoral systems and numerous hoax bomb threats at expatriate voting centers in cities like Rome, Brussels, Bucharest, and Asheville, N.C. The Moldovan diaspora in Western countries is a crucial base of support for pro-European politicians.
Authorities confirmed the detention of three individuals suspected of plotting to instigate unrest at a post-election protest, who were found with “pyrotechnics and inflammables” in their vehicle.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Union’s executive branch, extended her congratulations on social media, writing: “Our door is open. And we will stand with you every step of the way.”
Throughout the campaign, Ms. Sandu’s party consistently highlighted Russia’s disruptive influence in Moldova, arguing that any move closer to Russia would leave the nation vulnerable during a perilous global period.
“Moldova is in danger,” Ms. Sandu declared outside a Chisinau polling station on Sunday, surrounded by journalists. “Russia can inflict significant harm. It seeks to control us to use us against other states.”
An image captures President Maia Sandu of Moldova addressing a crowd outside a polling station in Chisinau on Sunday.
Thanks to its candidate status, Moldova is already receiving substantial financial aid from the European Union. These EU connections have become even more vital as the United States, under the Trump administration, has scaled back its foreign aid commitments to the region.
However, the country still grapples with considerable challenges, including sluggish economic growth. Approximately one in three Moldovans lives in poverty. While eventual EU membership promises long-term economic benefits, the path to joining the bloc necessitates rigorous reforms—such as adhering to stringent product standards and trade regulations—which can prove demanding.
Several voters expressed their observation that political discourse in Moldova has become increasingly divisive.
“It’s more aggressive now, favoring Russia,” remarked Angelina Zubac, a 61-year-old former accountant, as she entered a polling station on Sunday, underscoring the election’s critical nature.
She voiced her concern that if pro-Russian forces gained power and the EU membership bid failed, “Moldova will stagnate and regress to how it was 40 years ago.”
Valentina Hamuraru, a 68-year-old retiree, shared similar worries as she prepared to cast her vote.
“My biggest fear is that we will lose the freedom we have achieved so far,” she stated.
Ruxanda Spatari contributed to this reporting from Chisinau.