Moldova’s recent election, a true nail-biter marked by significant Russian interference, looks set to conclude with a victory for the pro-European party. This outcome means they’re likely to hold onto their parliamentary majority in what many are calling the most pivotal campaign in the country’s modern history.
While the official results are still pending, this anticipated victory could pave the way for Moldova, a former Soviet republic, to move closer to joining the European Union. Had pro-Russian parties gained substantial ground, this path would have faced serious obstacles.
Despite being a small nation of just 2.4 million, Moldova’s election garnered immense global attention. Its strategic location, nestled between Romania and Ukraine, makes it particularly significant as the war in Ukraine continues. Essentially, this vote became a referendum on whether Moldovans would align their future with Europe or Russia.
This probable win for President Maia Sandu’s pro-EU Party of Action and Solidarity indicates that pressing domestic issues, such as high gas prices and widespread poverty, haven’t swayed the nation from its European ambitions.
A map illustrates Moldova’s geographic importance, located between Romania and Ukraine, with Russia to its northeast.
By early Monday, nearly all votes (99 percent) in Moldova had been tallied, according to the official election tracker. President Sandu’s party secured approximately 50 percent of the vote, a substantial lead over its closest rival, the pro-Russian Patriotic Electoral Bloc, which garnered only 24 percent.
Given Moldova’s electoral system, this outcome is expected to grant Ms. Sandu’s party a clear majority, securing them over half of the 101 seats in parliament once all votes are finalized.
This election unfolded during a critical juncture in Moldova’s geopolitical landscape. Historically, Moldova shares deep ties with Russia, but in recent years, it has steadily moved towards closer alignment with the European Union.
President Sandu was first elected in 2020.
Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, many Moldovans saw a closer relationship with Europe as the best defense against potential future dominance from Moscow. The country formally applied to join the EU, and a referendum last October solidified this ambition by integrating support for joining the bloc into the Moldovan Constitution.
However, public support for this constitutional change was quite narrow, with 50.4 percent voting in favor versus 49.5 percent against. This tight margin hinted that President Sandu’s party faced a genuine risk of losing voter support in this latest election.
Soldiers were seen waiting to cast their votes in Chisinau on Sunday.
Conversely, pro-Russian parties campaigned heavily on themes of security and national sovereignty. They asserted that President Sandu’s alignment with Europe could embroil Moldova in conflict with Russia, erode the nation’s unique identity, and that the ruling party’s policies clashed with traditional family values.
High prices, especially for gas, were another central point of their campaign.
These messages resonated with a segment of the electorate.
Palina Velimboskaia, a 62-year-old accountant, interviewed outside a Chisinau polling station, expressed concerns that the European Union might instigate war and draw Moldova into the conflict. She strongly labeled President Sandu’s party a “dictatorship”.
Her sentiments mirrored common themes found in the advertising campaigns of pro-Russian factions.
President Sandu’s party accused Russia of attempting to influence the election outcomes by spending hundreds of millions to bribe voters and orchestrate a vast disinformation campaign. This included fabricated YouTube videos alleging President Sandu’s involvement in baseless scandals, such as an illegal celebrity sperm purchase, and widespread false claims of vote-rigging.
On election day itself, the Moldovan government reported a barrage of cyberattacks targeting electoral systems and widespread hoax bomb threats at voting locations for expatriates in major cities like Rome, Brussels, Bucharest, and even Asheville, N.C. The substantial Moldovan diaspora in Western nations is a crucial base of support for pro-European political figures.
Police also announced the arrest of three individuals suspected of planning to disrupt post-election protests, finding “pyrotechnics and inflammables” in their vehicle.
Throughout the campaign, President Sandu’s party consistently highlighted Russia’s disruptive influence in Moldova, warning that closer ties with Moscow would leave the nation vulnerable during a perilous global period.
Addressing a throng of journalists outside a Chisinau polling station on Sunday, President Sandu declared, “Moldova is in danger. Russia is capable of immense harm. It seeks to control us to then use us against other nations.”
President Maia Sandu of Moldova addressed the public outside a polling station in Chisinau on Sunday.
As a candidate country, Moldova is already receiving financial assistance from the European Union. These growing EU ties have become even more critical given the reduction in foreign aid from the United States, a shift that began with the Trump administration’s policies.
Nevertheless, Moldova grapples with significant challenges, notably sluggish economic growth and a poverty rate affecting approximately one-third of its population. While EU membership promises long-term economic advantages, it also demands adherence to stringent product standards and trade regulations, which can be demanding to implement.
Many voters observed a growing divisiveness in Moldova’s political discourse.
Angelina Zubac, a 61-year-old former accountant, described the current political climate as “more rough now, in favor of Russia” as she entered a polling station, underscoring the election’s critical nature.
She voiced concerns that if pro-Russian factions were to gain power and the EU accession efforts faltered, Moldova risked “stagnating and going back to 40 years ago.”
Valentina Hamuraru, a 68-year-old retiree, shared similar anxieties as she cast her ballot.
Her primary concern, she stated, was the potential loss of “the freedom we have gained so far.”
Ruxanda Spatari contributed to this report from Chisinau.