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ELECTION AND REFERENDUM IN MOLDOVA

DEFENDING DEMOCRACY AGAINST FOREIGN INTERFERENCE

Moldova held the first round of its presidential elections alongside a referendum to amend the country’s constitution to include its EU aspirations on 20 October 2024. The polls were targeted by disinformation and Russian interference, which continued into the second round of the presidential election on 3 November.

The election results saw incumbent president Maia Sandu re-elected with 55 percent of the vote in the second round. The referendum was passed by a narrow margin. Throughout the electoral campaign, EED’s partners worked to address disinformation, increase transparency, and encourage people to vote.

There were wide expectations that the constitutional referendum of EU accession would pass with a significant majority, particularly given high support for EU membership in the polls. Many were worried by the small margin of the “Yes” vote on the referendum to include EU integration in Moldova’s constitution, which won by just 50.35 percent against 49.65 percent for the “No” vote.

EED’s partners point to the significant role played by the Moldovan diaspora, who overwhelmingly voted in favour of the referendum. Vadim Pistrinciuc of the Institute for Strategic Initiatives (IPIS), a think tank working on countering disinformation, believes the diaspora are essential to the country’s future. “They can enrich political debate and bring fresh energy to the country’s modernisation process,” he says. Many regions inside Moldova, including the capital Chisinău, also voiced their desire to enter the European Union.

EED’s partners cover the elections and fight disinformation

In the run up to the elections, EED’s partner organisations conducted activities to counter Russian misinformation and to encourage citizens to vote.

“At IPIS we launched the campaign ‘Punem viitorul la adăpost’ (Protect the Future), to raise awareness about the benefits of EU integration and to build resilience against misinformation,” said Pistrinciuc of IPIS.

Nord News, a media organisation in the northern city of Balti, hosted debates with three of the 11 presidential candidates and produced shows, interviews, and reports on the importance of the referendum and the benefits of EU integration.

Similarly, Media Birlii, a news outlet from the autonomous region of Gagauzia, posted articles about the implications of the elections for the region and the rest of the country, organised a live broadcast for election night, and conducted media literacy seminars to teach local residents how to evaluate the information they read or watch on the media.

“At IPIS we launched the campaign ‘Punem viitorul la adăpost’ (Protect the Future), to raise awareness about the benefits of EU integration and to build resilience against misinformation,”- Pistrinciuc of IPIS
“essential to continue informing the population about the real benefits of European integration” - Vitali Gaidarji

Preparing for the future

Despite the closer than expected results of the presidential election and referendum, some of EED’s partners were optimistic.

“The results reflect the desire of the people of Moldova to choose a democratic path. Even with such a close result, this was a victory for all of us—major battles are often hard-won,” says Pistrinciuc.

Grigore Rînja of the National Youth Council of Moldova shares a similarly positive outlook. “Despite the narrow margin, the outcome of the referendum marks a significant step forward for Moldova’s European future. This choice, made even in the face of intense external interference, shows a strong commitment to aligning with European values and standards,” he says.

The next key challenge for Moldova’s path towards EU membership will be its parliamentary elections, scheduled for the first half of 2025. Moldova’s civil society is already actively preparing.

“In light of the growing disinformation and manipulation by pro-Russian forces, it is essential to continue informing the population about the real benefits of European integration. Our team strives to strengthen independent media and ensure access to quality information for the residents of Gagauzia,” says Vitali Gaidarji of Media Birlii.