US EditionMoldova Has Been Saved From Russian Influence, but at What Cost?
The pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity won over 50% of votes despite Russian efforts including vote-buying, propaganda, and cyber-attacks to influence the outcome.
- Last Sunday, Moldova's Party of Action and Solidarity won despite Russian interference, securing over 50% of the vote, with voters resisting intimidation, Moldova's pro‑EU victory praised by Western leaders.
- Russia sought to block Moldova's EU trajectory by using broad interference tactics including propaganda, bribery, and political sponsorship to derail EU accession by 2030.
- Investigators documented tactics including crypto vote‑buying and AI deepfakes, while Telegram channels offered cash for votes and pro-government Moldovan media estimate Kremlin spending at $400 million.
- The outcome dealt a political setback to Moscow as Maia Sandu can claim a parliamentary mandate through 2029, and the European Commission offered a 1.8 billion support package.
- Analysts warn Russia will continue probing NATO unity and undermining public confidence, with Moldova especially vulnerable due to the Russian-controlled Transnistria enclave, Dr Jon Roozenbeek said.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Spectator UK
The Spectator WorldMoldova has been saved from Russian influence, but at what cost?
The European Union, guardian and champion of democracy, rightly takes a dim view when ruling parties ban their opponents, refuse to open polling stations in areas likely to vote against them, censor opposition news channels and allow a large staff of foreign election monitors to police social media in the run-up. If Serbia, say, or
The Republic of Moldova elected a new parliament on Sunday. After Russia had intervened massively in the election campaign. Europe should learn from this Russian influence.
Despite a massive Russian influence campaign to sway the election outcome, the pro-EU ruling PAS party won in Moldova. During the election campaign, a long series of illegal attempts to influence the Moldovan voters were exposed. The government now promises to implement the necessary reforms to join the Union during the upcoming term.
What do President Sandu and Cambodian dictator Paul Pot have in common, how France “interfered” in the Moldovan elections and what will happen to the unrecognized Transnistria.
"Frequent changes to the law, especially immediately before elections, have, however, jeopardized the efficient implementation of regulations, as well as legal certainty."
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