Moldova’s pro-European party has secured a significant victory in a closely contested election, overcoming substantial Russian interference. Preliminary results released on Monday indicate that the party will retain its parliamentary majority, marking what many consider the most pivotal campaign in the nation’s modern history.
This victory, pending official confirmation from the national election commission, is expected to accelerate Moldova’s aspirations for European Union membership. Had pro-Russian parties achieved considerable success, this path towards E.U. integration would have faced considerable jeopardy.
Despite its small size, with a population of only 2.4 million, this election garnered immense global attention. Positioned strategically between Romania and Ukraine, Moldova holds a critical geopolitical role amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The vote essentially served as a referendum, forcing Moldovan citizens to choose between a future aligned with Europe or one leaning towards Russia.
The anticipated success of President Maia Sandu’s pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity indicates that significant domestic challenges, such as soaring gas prices and pervasive poverty, have not diminished the party’s European ambitions.
Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Union’s executive arm, expressed her congratulations in a social media post.
“Our door is open,” she affirmed. “And we will stand with you every step of the way.”
However, the aftermath was not without tension. On Monday, hundreds of individuals gathered outside the Parliament in Chisinau for both protests and counterprotests. Chants of “Moldova” filled the air, and national flags waved as pro-Russian officials addressed the assembly. Authorities had previously voiced concerns about potential paid demonstrators contesting the election results.
By Monday morning, nearly all votes in Moldova had been tallied, with President Sandu’s party securing just over 50 percent. This represented a substantial lead over the second-place contender, the pro-Russian Patriotic Electoral Bloc, which garnered 24 percent of the votes.
Given Moldova’s electoral system, these results are anticipated to grant the pro-European party more than half of the 101 seats in Parliament.
The election occurred during a pivotal period for Moldova’s geopolitical standing. As a former Soviet republic, Moldova shares deep historical connections with Russia but has increasingly gravitated towards the European Union in recent years.
President Sandu was first elected in 2020.
Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, many Moldovans viewed closer ties with Europe as the most effective defense against potential future dominance by Moscow. The nation formally applied for European Union membership, and in October of last year, a referendum to embed support for joining the bloc into the Moldovan Constitution was approved.
However, the referendum passed with a narrow margin of 50.4 percent to 49.5 percent. This close call indicated that President Sandu’s party faced a genuine risk of losing public support in the recent election.
Conversely, pro-Russian parties centered their campaign on themes of security and national sovereignty. They contended that President Sandu’s administration risked drawing Moldova into a conflict with Russia, that European Union alignment would compromise the nation’s distinct identity, and that the ruling party’s policies conflicted with traditional family values.
These parties also highlighted concerns over high living costs, especially the price of gas.
Their messages resonated with a segment of the electorate.
Palina Velimboskaia, a 62-year-old accountant, voiced apprehension that the European Union might instigate conflict and involve Moldova. Outside a Chisinau polling station, she characterized President Sandu’s party as a “dictatorship.”
Her sentiments aligned closely with the narratives promoted in much of the pro-Russian campaign advertising.
President Sandu’s party accused Russia of attempting to influence the election outcomes by allegedly injecting hundreds of millions of dollars to sway voters and orchestrate a vast disinformation campaign. This included fabricated YouTube videos implicating Ms. Sandu in unfounded scandals, such as an illegal celebrity sperm purchase, and circulating false allegations of vote-rigging.
As voters cast their ballots on Sunday, the Moldovan government reported facing cyberattacks targeting electoral systems and receiving hoax bomb threats at expatriate voting locations in cities like Rome, Brussels, Bucharest, and Asheville, N.C. The Moldovan diaspora, particularly in Western nations, plays a crucial role in supporting pro-European politicians.
Police authorities announced the detention of three individuals suspected of plotting to incite disorder at a post-election protest, noting that their vehicle contained “pyrotechnics and inflammables.”
Throughout the campaign, President Sandu’s party consistently highlighted Russia’s disruptive role in Moldova, asserting that aligning with Russia would leave the nation vulnerable during a perilous global period.
“Moldova is in danger,” President Sandu declared to a throng of journalists outside a Chisinau polling station on Sunday. “Russia can do a lot of harm. It wants to control us in order to use us against other states.”
As a candidate country, Moldova already receives financial assistance from the European Union. These E.U. ties have grown increasingly vital, especially as the United States, under the Trump administration, reduced its foreign aid commitments to the region.
Despite these advantages, Moldova grapples with significant hurdles, including sluggish economic growth and a poverty rate affecting approximately one in three citizens. While E.U. membership promises long-term economic advantages, the accession process itself demands adherence to stringent product standards and trade regulations, which can be demanding for a developing nation.
Several voters also observed a growing polarization in Moldova’s political discourse.
Angelina Zubac, a 61-year-old former accountant, described the political climate as “more rough now, in favor of Russia” as she entered a polling station on Sunday, emphasizing the election’s critical importance.
She expressed concern that a surge in pro-Russian influence and a failed E.U. bid would lead to Moldova’s stagnation, pushing the country “back to 40 years ago.”
Valentina Hamuraru, a 68-year-old retiree, shared similar anxieties while casting her ballot.
“My biggest worry is that we lose what we have gained so far: freedom,” she stated.
Ruxanda Spatari contributed reporting from Chisinau.