On September 28, 2025, Moldovans headed to the polls in what many have described as the most consequential parliamentary election in the country’s modern history—a vote that would determine whether the small Eastern European nation continues its westward march toward the European Union or pivots back toward Moscow’s orbit. The outcome, as confirmed by preliminary results on September 29, left little doubt: the pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS), led by President Maia Sandu, secured a decisive victory with just over 50% of the vote, while its main rival, the pro-Russian Patriotic Electoral Bloc, trailed at 24.2%.
For a nation of just 2.4 million, sandwiched between Ukraine and EU member Romania, the stakes could hardly have been higher. The election quickly became a referendum on Moldova’s future identity and alliances, with the governing PAS running on a platform of EU integration, democratic reforms, and modernization. Their main opponents, meanwhile, warned that closer ties with Europe could threaten Moldova’s sovereignty, traditional values, and even its security.
"Moldova is in danger," President Maia Sandu declared outside a polling station in Chisinau on election day, as reported by The New York Times. "Russia can do a lot of harm. It wants to control us in order to use us against other states." Her words underscored the anxiety that has gripped Moldova since Russia’s full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine in 2022—a conflict that spurred Moldova to apply for EU membership and, in October 2024, narrowly enshrine support for joining the bloc into its constitution.
The PAS’s victory, giving it a clear majority in the 101-seat parliament (with projections suggesting around 55 seats), is widely seen as a mandate for Sandu’s pro-European agenda. According to NPR, this majority spares PAS from having to form a potentially unstable coalition, allowing it to push forward with reforms aimed at meeting EU accession requirements. Cristian Cantir, a Moldovan associate professor of international relations at Oakland University, told The Associated Press, "A PAS majority saves the party from having to form a coalition that would have most likely been unstable and would have slowed down the pace of reforms to join the EU."
The celebrations among pro-European Moldovans were matched by international support. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, posted on X, "Moldova, you’ve done it again. No attempt to sow fear or division could break your resolve. You made your choice clear: Europe. Democracy. Freedom. Our door is open. And we will stand with you every step of the way. The future is yours." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also welcomed the result, stating that Russia had "failed to destabilise Moldova" despite spending "huge, huge resources to undermine it and to corrupt whoever they could."
But the road to this victory was anything but smooth. The election campaign and voting day were marred by a series of incidents that authorities attributed to Russian interference. Prime Minister Dorin Recean, who is expected to be re-nominated by Sandu to continue leading the government, warned that Moscow was waging a "hybrid war" against Moldova, spending "hundreds of millions" of euros to influence the outcome. PAS leader Igor Grosu echoed these concerns, telling AP that the results would define Moldova’s future "not just for the next four years, but for many, many years ahead."
Authorities alleged that Russia orchestrated a vast campaign of vote-buying, staged more than 1,000 cyberattacks on government infrastructure in 2025 alone, and planned to incite riots around the election. Disinformation was rampant, with false YouTube videos and social media posts targeting Sandu and PAS. On election day itself, bomb threats disrupted polling stations abroad in cities like Rome, Brussels, Bucharest, and Asheville, North Carolina, while cyberattacks targeted electoral systems at home. Some voters were caught photographing their ballots or being illegally transported to polling sites, and three individuals were detained after police found pyrotechnics and inflammables in their car, suspecting them of planning post-election unrest.
Despite these challenges, turnout was robust. The Central Electoral Commission reported that about 1.6 million people—52.1% of eligible voters—cast ballots, including a significant 280,000 from polling stations set up abroad. The Moldovan diaspora, especially those residing in Western Europe, have long been a key source of support for pro-European parties.
Not everyone, however, was convinced that the PAS victory would bring stability. Several hundred people gathered in front of parliament in Chisinau on September 29 to protest and counterprotest the results, waving national flags and chanting as pro-Russian officials addressed the crowd. Police had warned in advance of possible paid protesters and attempts to sow chaos. The country’s deep divisions were evident in the voices of voters: some, like 62-year-old accountant Palina Velimboskaia, feared that EU integration would provoke war and drag Moldova into conflict, calling Sandu’s party a "dictatorship." Others, like retiree Valentina Hamuraru, worried about losing the freedoms gained since Moldova’s independence, saying, "My biggest worry is that we lose what we have gained so far: freedom."
Pro-Russian parties, led by former President Igor Dodon, campaigned hard on themes of security, sovereignty, and traditional values. They accused the ruling party of risking Moldova’s neutrality and warned that closer ties to Europe would undermine the nation’s identity and drive up prices—particularly for gas, a sore point for many Moldovans. Their messaging found an audience, especially in rural areas and among older voters still nostalgic for the Soviet era.
Yet, the PAS’s campaign, promising to double incomes, modernize infrastructure, and stamp out corruption, resonated with enough voters to secure a second term. The party’s ultimate goal remains clear: to sign an accession treaty with the EU by 2028 and complete the reforms needed to make Moldova a full member of the 27-nation bloc. The process will not be easy. As The New York Times notes, Moldova faces serious challenges, including slow economic growth and persistent poverty—about one in three Moldovans lives below the poverty line. EU membership requires not just political will, but also compliance with a host of standards and regulations that will test the government’s capacity for change.
Geopolitically, Moldova remains in a precarious position. Russia has denied all allegations of meddling, but few in Chisinau doubt that the Kremlin will continue to try to exert influence, especially as Moldova’s EU accession talks progress. The country’s strategic location—right on the border of the EU and Ukraine—means its choices reverberate far beyond its modest borders.
As the dust settles from this historic election, the message from Moldovan voters is unmistakable: for now, the country’s future lies with Europe. Whether that path will be smooth or fraught with new challenges remains to be seen, but the resolve of Moldovans, both at home and abroad, has rarely been clearer.
