Against All Odds: Pro-European Party Wins Key Moldova Election Despite Russian Meddling

Moldova’s pro-European party has clinched a significant victory in a tightly contested election, preliminary results revealed on Monday. This outcome allows the party to maintain its parliamentary majority, marking what many consider the most crucial electoral campaign in the nation’s recent history, despite extensive Russian interference.

This triumph, pending official confirmation from the national election commission, is poised to advance Moldova’s aspirations for European Union membership. The path to integration would have faced considerable obstacles if pro-Russian factions had achieved substantial gains in the recent vote.

For a small nation of just 2.4 million people, this election garnered immense global attention. Nestled strategically between Romania and war-torn Ukraine, Moldova’s vote essentially became a referendum on its future—a clear choice between aligning with Europe or leaning towards Russia.

The projected victory for President Maia Sandu’s pro-EU Party of Action and Solidarity demonstrates that even pressing domestic challenges, such as soaring gas prices and persistent poverty, could not deter the nation’s European ambitions.

Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Union’s executive body, lauded the election outcome in a social media post.

“Our door is open,” she declared, adding, “And we will stand with you every step of the way.”

However, the victory was met with palpable tension. On Monday, hundreds gathered in front of the Parliament in Chisinau for both protests and counter-protests. Chants of “Moldova” filled the air, with national flags waving as pro-Russian figures addressed the crowd. Police had previously expressed concerns about paid demonstrators attempting to disrupt the electoral results.

By Monday morning, nearly all votes in Moldova had been tallied, according to the government’s official election tracker. Ms. Sandu’s party secured just over 50 percent of the vote, establishing a clear lead over its closest contender, the pro-Russian Patriotic Electoral Bloc, which garnered 24 percent.

Given Moldova’s parliamentary system, these results are anticipated to grant the pro-European party more than half of the 101 seats available in parliament.

This election occurred during a geopolitically sensitive period for the nation. Moldova, a former Soviet republic with enduring historical ties to Russia, has increasingly pursued closer relations with the European Union in recent years.

President Sandu herself was first elected in 2020.

Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, many Moldovans increasingly viewed closer ties with Europe as their best defense against future dominance by Moscow. The nation subsequently applied for European Union membership, and a referendum last October solidified constitutional support for joining the bloc.

However, the referendum passed by a mere whisker—50.4 percent to 49.5 percent—highlighting the vulnerability of Ms. Sandu’s party and suggesting a genuine risk of losing support in the current election.

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Conversely, pro-Russian parties centered their campaigns on themes of national security and sovereignty. They contended that Ms. Sandu’s leadership risked entangling Moldova in a conflict with Russia, that deeper integration with the European Union would erode national identity, and that the ruling party’s policies clashed with traditional family values.

Moreover, they capitalized on public discontent over rising costs, especially for gas.

These messages resonated with a segment of the electorate.

For instance, Palina Velimboskaia, a 62-year-old accountant interviewed outside a Chisinau polling station, voiced concerns that the European Union might incite war and draw Moldova into the conflict, going so far as to label Ms. Sandu’s party a ‘dictatorship.’

Her sentiments mirrored the pervasive themes propagated by pro-Russian campaign advertisements.

According to Ms. Sandu’s party, Russia aggressively attempted to manipulate the election results. This included allegedly funneling hundreds of millions of dollars to buy votes and orchestrating a vast disinformation campaign. Examples cited included fabricated YouTube videos linking Ms. Sandu to outlandish scandals, such as an illegal celebrity sperm purchase, and widespread false claims of vote-rigging.

On election day itself, Sunday, the Moldovan government confirmed cyberattacks targeting electoral systems and numerous hoax bomb threats at expatriate polling stations in cities like Rome, Brussels, Bucharest (Romania), and Asheville, N.C. The significant Moldovan diaspora in Western nations is a key base of support for pro-European political candidates.

Police officials also announced the detention of three individuals suspected of plotting to instigate unrest at a post-election protest, found with ‘pyrotechnics and inflammables’ in their vehicle.

Throughout the campaign, Ms. Sandu’s party consistently portrayed Russia as a destabilizing force in Moldova. They argued that any pivot towards Russia would dangerously expose the country during a precarious global period.

“Moldova is in danger,” President Sandu declared to a throng of journalists outside a Chisinau polling station on Sunday. “Russia is capable of immense harm. Its objective is to control us, ultimately to use us against other nations.”

As a candidate country, Moldova already receives financial assistance from the European Union. These European ties have grown increasingly vital, especially as the United States’ role in the region diminishes, with the previous Trump administration significantly cutting foreign aid.

Despite these connections, Moldova still grapples with considerable challenges, including sluggish economic growth. Approximately one-third of its population lives in poverty. While EU membership promises long-term economic advantages, the process demands rigorous compliance with product standards and trade regulations, which can be a difficult transition.

Many voters observed a growing polarization in Moldova’s political discourse.

“The situation is far more contentious now, with a clear leaning towards Russia,” remarked Angelina Zubac, a 61-year-old former accountant, as she entered a polling station on Sunday, emphasizing the election’s critical nature.

Her fear was that if pro-Russian factions advanced and the EU membership bid faltered, “Moldova would stagnate and regress 40 years.”

Valentina Hamuraru, a 68-year-old retiree, shared similar anxieties as she prepared to cast her ballot.

“My greatest concern is the potential loss of the freedom we’ve achieved,” she stated.

Ruxanda Spatari also contributed to this report from Chisinau.