On September 28, Moldova will hold decisive parliamentary elections. Their outcome will determine whether the country continues its pro-European path or risks backsliding into a regime that will align with Russian interests. The results will provide feedback on the governance of the Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS), as well as Moldova’s reform record and progress toward EU integration.
In its continued attempts to exploit Moldova’s vulnerabilities, economic grievances, and security volatility and to undermine the EU, Russia has invested heavily to impact the outcome of these parliamentary elections. Compared to its campaigns to influence last year’s presidential elections and EU referendum, Russia’s activities started earlier and were on a larger scale. It aims to disrupt democratic processes through illicit funding, cyber threats, and disinformation campaigns in both Moldova and the Moldovan diaspora.
Due to a high percentage of undecided voters and the non-inclusion of the diaspora, recent polls do not provide a clear picture of possible outcomes. At this event shortly after the elections, we will discuss the results and their implications for the EU’s enlargement policy together with experts from Moldova and the EU.
Speakers:
Johannes Schraps, Member of the German Parliament, SPD
Polina Panainte, Deputy Director of the Association for Participatory Democracy ADEPT; Secretary of the Civic Coalition for Free and Fair Elections
Dorina Baltag, Visiting Fellow at the Institute for Diplomacy and International Affairs of Loughborough University London; Founder of Noroc Olanda, a Moldovan Diaspora NGO Based in the Netherlands
Anastasia Pociumban, Research Fellow in the Center for Order and Governance in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia at DGAP
Moderator:
Stefan Meister, Head of the Center for Order and Governance in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia at DGAP
Please register here.
The discussion will be held in English.
This event is organized by DGAP’s Eastern Partnership Think Tank Network with the support of the European Commission.