Why are Moldova’s parliamentary elections on Sunday so important? | Moldova
Moldova will vote in the parliamentary elections, which the president describes as “most important” in the history of the small country. The results will confirm whether Moldova, a former Soviet Republic that gained independence in 1991, has continued on the path of Western integration, or whether it returns to Russia’s orbit.
What is the story and why is it important?
The future of Moldova, a country between Ukraine and Romania, is closely monitored on the continent. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this week that Moldova needs support to prevent the Russian influence, which was already a fate that has already entered Georgia and Belarus. “Europe cannot afford to lose Moldova in Europe,” he said to the UN General Assembly in New York.
Moldova played a major role on the diplomatic chess board due to its proximity to the Ukrainian and NATO alliance from the Romanian border and its orbit. In 2021, Moldova chose a pro -European pro -Western action and president Maia Sandu’s solidarity party with a healthy majority. After Russia’s full -scale invasion of Ukraine, Moldova applied for the EU membership, provided a record status in a record time, and now hopes to join the union until 2030.
Sandu was elected president in the elections last year, but the referendum for the country’s EU membership was won by a majority by asking questions about the long -term aspect of Moldova. Both surveys were marked with charges of Russian intervention, including a large voter bribery plan. 130,000 allegedly transferred to MoldovansApproximately 10% of active voters.
Now the surveys show that the Sandu’s pass party is faced with serious difficulty in pro -Russian or nominal pro -European opposition parties who can deny the majority of parliament. Without a solid majority, the government can struggle to complete challenging economic and political reforms to join the EU, while settled poverty continues to struggle with stubborn high inflation and relatively numerous Ukrainian refugees.
Sandu argued that a Moscow -friendly government will be used as a ramp a launching ramp for hybrid attacks on the EU ,, a argument approved by European leaders. An extremely symbolic Visit last month Chișinӑu“Without an independent Moldovan, a safe EU, Polish, France and Germany cannot be a safe Poland, France and Germany, Don, as well as leaders of France and Germany.
Who are the key players?
Maia Sandu– Trained by Harvard, the former World Bank official, in 2016, founded the center -right, reformist pass party. One of the closest ally Dorin ReceanIn February 2023, he is a pro -Western economist and former Minister of Interior.
The PAS parties face a challenging challenge from the Patriotic Block, the Left Wing Alliance, which is the pro -Russian parties, including the former president of Moldova. Igor DodonSandu was displaced in 2020. The patriotic block argues that European integration is a threat to Moldova’s independence and is looking for closer ties with Russia.
When the results are too narrow, the role of smaller parties may be very important. Alternative Block containing leaders Chișinӑu mayor Ion Ceban and 2024 presidency second Alexandru StoianogloHe tries to gather deemed central voters. Nominally pro -European, accusing the government of guaranteeing good ways, good salaries and pensions. Some analysts claim that alternative is a spoilers aiming to get support from the main EU party and protect a channel of influence on Russia.
In addition, our party is directed by a former mayor in the mixture, there is an anti -establishment populist, Renato UsatiiPreviously, with close connections with Russian nationalist politicians.
Candidates linked to pro -Russian illegal olochch not in the ballot Ilen shor. In a case of 1 billion dollars missing in Moldova banks in 2023 in 2014, fraud and money laundering were found guilty, and at the same time it was claimed that he started a mass voting fraud last year.
How does the system work?
After a month of campaign, voters will choose 101 parliamentary members under a proportional system on Sunday.
The Diaspora vote, which is very important for the results, is estimated to have an estimated 1 million Moldova lived abroad. Moldovans, who lives in Western Europe, is very important for the success of the ruling party and the success of the pro -EU referendum result. Although an unpredictable factor is officially part of Moldova, 277,000 registered voters in the separation zone of Transnistri’s separation zone controlled by pro -Russian separatists. Typically, the participation was very low, but analysts say Russia increases disinformation in the region.
What is the possible result?
There are several possible results with opinion surveys showing that the ruling pass party has a small leadership on the patriotic block.
Pas can produce a victory by providing continuity on the EU reform agenda. However, a more likely result is that PAS is inadequate before the majority, which results in long and difficult negotiations to form a government. Some analysts argued that adhesive points, such as foreign policy orientation, can be so stubborn that only new elections can break the dead end. A third possibility is a victory for the pro -Russian block with the support of centralist parties that can weaken Moldova’s path to the EU and democratic reform agenda.
However, since the election occurs between the fears of election intervention, all the results are uncertain. At the beginning of this week, Moldova officials detained 74 people in 250 raids in a plan allegedly provoked Russia’s rebellions. Prime Minister Recean accused Russia of spending hundreds of millions of euros to bring Russia to power and to siege our country. The Kremlin rejected all the charges of the elections.
A Published Risk Assessment Digital Forensic Research Laboratory, Moldova’s “Information War, illegal financing, cyber attacks and proxy mobilization, including, the Moldovan government’s pro -EU agenda to weaken the pro -EU agenda and increasing the pro -Russian actors, the permanent Russian -led hybrid threats, such as the researchers, such as the greatest political fragmentation, the greater political selection, the greate It carries the risk of indifference and threatens the integrity of the elections.
