Moldova Election Strengthens Move Toward EU

Reuters

Moldovan President Maia Sandu speaks after voting at a polling station, 28 September 2025.

Moldova’s pro-European ruling party, Action and Solidarity (PAS), retained its parliamentary majority in Sunday’s pivotal election, bolstering the country’s push toward closer integration with the European Union and away from Russian influence.

With over 99.9% of ballots counted, PAS, led by President Maia Sandu, secured 50.03% of the vote, putting the party on course to win 55 of the 101 seats in parliament. By contrast, a Moscow-leaning coalition led by former president Igor Dodon garnered 24.26%, according to official election commission results.

The outcome exceeded pre-election polls, which had projected PAS would remain the largest party but risk losing its majority—a result that could have slowed Moldova’s goal of achieving EU membership within a decade. Analysts said the victory represents a significant endorsement of Sandu’s pro-European agenda amid reported attempts at Russian interference.

“In Moldova, power is shared between the directly elected president and a prime minister appointed by parliament,” explained political observers, noting that Igor Grosu, PAS leader and close ally of Sandu, is expected to become prime minister.

European leaders welcomed the result. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tweeted: “Moldova, you’ve done it again. No attempt to sow fear or division could break your resolve. You made your choice clear: Europe. Democracy. Freedom. Our door is open.” 

French President Emmanuel Macron echoed the sentiment, emphasising France’s support for Moldova’s “European project and momentum of freedom and sovereignty.”

National adviser Stanislav Secrieru said Moldovan voters faced “massive pressure from Russia and its proxies,” citing cyber-attacks, fake bomb threats, and attempts to disrupt polling stations in Brussels, Rome, and the United States. Moldova’s diaspora, which typically supports closer EU ties, played a decisive role in the outcome.

The Kremlin criticised Moldova for limiting polling stations in Russia, while Dodon rejected the results, claiming electoral violations and calling for peaceful protests outside parliament. Moscow maintains it did not interfere, dismissing allegations as “anti-Russian” and “unsubstantiated.”

Since independence in 1991, Moldova has alternated between strengthening ties with Brussels and maintaining Soviet-era relations with Moscow. President Sandu, a former World Bank official, first took office in 2020, campaigning on anti-corruption and pro-European reforms. Her government also enshrined EU membership as a constitutional goal in a 2024 referendum.

Despite the victory, economic challenges remain. Inflation remains high, emigration continues, and GDP growth is modest. Sandu’s administration must navigate these issues while advancing Moldova’s EU ambitions amid ongoing regional tensions related to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Sources: The Guardian



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