Moldova’s presidential election and constitutional referendum on October 20 were well-managed, according to OSCE observers. Contestants could campaign freely, though concerns about foreign interference and active disinformation efforts impacted the process’s integrity. International observers noted that the campaign conditions did not create a level playing field among candidates.
The election administration performed professionally and demonstrated impartiality in its decision-making. Despite a competitive atmosphere, campaign visibility was minimal, yet voters had a variety of political alternatives among registered presidential candidates, who emerged through an inclusive process. However, the simultaneous conduct of the presidential election and referendum campaigns, as well as media coverage that favoured the incumbent government, hindered fully equal opportunities for all candidates. In their preliminary statement, observers also indicated instances of public resource misuse during the campaign.
“Moldova deserves credit for implementing a number of reforms to increase public confidence in the electoral system in the context of heavy Russian propaganda. From implementing cybersecurity measures to ensuring a high degree of women’s participation, there is much to celebrate in this election,” said Lucie Potůčková, Special Co-ordinator and leader of the short-term OSCE observers.
“There are, however, some areas for improvement. The overlapping period between candidate registration and the campaign, for example, has created an uneven playing field, which is something we would like to see improved,” Potůčková added.
The campaigns were conducted in an environment of national security threats arising from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Law enforcement authorities, along with many international organisations and civil society groups, have stated that Moldova is currently facing an ongoing “hybrid war” orchestrated from abroad. This situation includes illicit financing of political actors, disinformation campaigns, and cyberattacks.
“Yesterday marked a pivotal moment for Moldova, despite Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine and intensive Kremlin-backed interference in the electoral processes,” said Petra Bayr, Head of the delegation from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. “We commend the country’s leadership for boldly consulting the population on this fundamental choice and stand ready to support Moldova in further strengthening its inclusive and open society. Success will depend on further democratic reforms and the ability to combat disinformation and external interference, ensuring Moldova’s democratic process remains legitimate and transparent.”
“We welcome the results of the referendum,“ said Michael Gahler, Head of the delegation from the European Parliament. “Despite the unprecedented massive, malign and illicit Russian interference, especially through vote buying, hybrid attacks and disinformation, the people of the Republic of Moldova chose a future in the EU. We commend the competent Moldovan authorities for holding a well-managed and efficient election under these extraordinary circumstances. We call on all stakeholders to resist any interference in order not to allow it to distort the results of the second round of the presidential election and the 2025 parliamentary elections.“
The revised legal framework for the presidential election offers a basis for democratic elections, but frequent last-minute amendments and limited consultation have compromised its coherence and legal certainty. The referendum framework, which allows parliament to integrate EU rights into national law without constitutional reform, lacks safeguards against public resource misuse and falls short of international standards.
While concurrent elections are not prohibited, holding both the presidential election and referendum without adjusting campaign regulations created an uneven playing field for candidates.
“The substantial number of international observers deployed to observe the elections serve as a testament to the international community’s steadfast support for Moldova’s democratic path,“ said Johan Büser, Head of the delegation from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.
“In the context of Russia’s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine, pro-Russian actors have directed foreign interference and disinformation campaigns, while traditional views on minorities and LGBT rights were sometimes framed as reasons to vote ‘No‘ on the EU referendum.”
Election day was calm and well-organised. Observers assessed the voting process overwhelmingly positively, noting only a few procedural issues. The overall assessment of the vote count and tabulation was also positive.
“The electoral authorities have been transparent and professional in their work, and this was reflected in our overwhelmingly positive assessment of election day,“ said Urszula Gacek, head of the election observation mission from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.
“Our observation over the last several weeks shows that the conditions did not provide the contestants with a level playing field. The recommendations we will make based on our observation will be aimed at addressing this and other areas in need of improvement to increase the resilience of citizens and their confidence in electoral processes in the country.“
Recent changes have created a strong legal framework for campaign finances, but oversight has been weakened due to electoral authorities’ limited resources. Separate donation and expenditure limits for election and referendum participants allow political parties to spend more if involved in both. Regulatory measures ensured fairness in radio and television political coverage; however, ODIHR monitoring showed the incumbent received the most exposure, often without a clear distinction between her roles. Coverage of the referendum was minimal, though candidates had sufficient free airtime.
Dispute resolution proved limited, as the Central Election Commission and appellate court did not consistently meet legal deadlines. As a result, critical campaign-related issues often need to be examined thoroughly.
