Moldova’s pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) has secured a decisive victory in the country’s snap parliamentary elections. Preliminary results show PAS winning over 52% of the vote enough to retain a parliamentary majority despite what Moldovan authorities
and Western allies describe as a sustained campaign of Russian interference aimed at destabilizing the former Soviet republic and derailing its path toward EU membership.Election Day Under Siege
The campaign period was marred by cyberattacks on government websites, disinformation floods on social media, and reports of covert funding to pro-Russian opposition groups. On election day itself, internet outages hit key regions, and fake audio recordings purportedly of President Maia Sandu plotting to sell Moldovan land to Romania circulated widely on Telegram channels linked to Russian troll farms.
“This wasn’t just an election it was a defense of our sovereignty,” said President Sandu, addressing supporters in Chișinău’s Great National Assembly Square. “They tried to drown our voices in lies. But the people spoke clearly: we choose Europe.”
International observers from the OSCE confirmed “credible evidence of coordinated foreign influence operations,” though they deemed the vote itself “genuine and reflective of the will of Moldovan citizens.”
A Nation Torn Between Futures
Moldova a nation of 2.6 million sits at a geopolitical crossroads. To the west, the promise of EU integration offers economic reform, stability, and a break from decades of corruption. To the east, Moscow dangles energy subsidies and cultural ties, while stoking fears of “Romanian annexation” and NATO encirclement.
In the village of Călărași, 68-year-old pensioner Vasile Moraru wiped tears as he watched the results. “I lived through Soviet times,” he said. “I don’t want my grandchildren to live in fear again. Europe means choice. Russia means control.”
Yet not all share his optimism. In the breakaway region of Transnistria backed by Russian troops pro-Kremlin activists held counter-rallies, accusing PAS of “selling out Moldovan identity.” And in Chișinău’s industrial outskirts, factory worker Elena Cojocaru voiced frustration: “They talk about Brussels, but my salary hasn’t changed in three years. What good is a passport if you can’t feed your kids?”
What Comes Next
With a renewed mandate, PAS now aims to accelerate EU accession talks—Moldova became an official candidate in 2022 and push through anti-corruption reforms. But the victory comes with warnings. U.S. intelligence agencies report that Russia is likely to intensify hybrid tactics, including energy blackmail and support for separatist movements.
Still, the message from Sunday’s ballot is clear: despite disinformation, cyberattacks, and fear-mongering, a majority of Moldovans chose hope over coercion.
As dusk fell over Chișinău, volunteers handed out sunflower seeds Ukraine’s symbol of resistance, now adopted by Moldova’s pro-democracy youth. One young woman pinned a blue-and-yellow ribbon to her coat and whispered, “We’re next.”
In a region where borders shift with empires, Moldova has drawn a line not with weapons, but with ballots. And for now, democracy has held.
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