In a dramatic turn for Eastern Europe, Moldova’s parliamentary elections on Sunday, September 28, 2025, delivered a resounding victory for the pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS), led by President Maia Sandu. The result, widely interpreted as a historic affirmation of the country’s westward ambitions, has set the stage for both celebration and uncertainty in a nation long perched on the fault line between Russia and the European Union.
According to preliminary results released by Moldova’s Central Election Commission and reported by Courthouse News, PAS secured 50.16 percent of the vote, translating to 55 out of 101 parliamentary seats. This slim but crucial majority means PAS can govern without forming a coalition, a scenario its leaders had insisted was non-negotiable. The Patriotic Electoral Bloc—a coalition of left-wing, pro-Russian parties—came in second with 24.19 percent, while several smaller parties, including the Alternative Bloc led by Chisinau’s mayor Ion Ceban, trailed behind.
But the numbers alone don’t tell the full story. The election campaign was marred by what Sandu’s government called “unprecedented” Russian interference. Allegations included everything from vote buying and funneling funds to pro-Russian candidates, to busing voters from the breakaway region of Transnistria and even orchestrating bomb threats that forced polling stations in European capitals to close early. The opposition, led by Socialist leader Igor Dodon, refused to recognize the results, citing blocked access for Moldovan voters in Russia and Transnistria, and protested the last-minute ban of two pro-Russian parties on the eve of the vote. On Monday, Dodon led a demonstration outside parliament, but turnout was modest—around one hundred protesters, according to the Atlantic Council.
The stakes in this election went far beyond domestic politics. Moldova, a small republic of 3.6 million people sandwiched between Romania and Ukraine, has long been a geopolitical chessboard. Its electorate remains sharply divided: wealthier Romanian-speaking city dwellers and Moldovans living in Western Europe tend to favor pro-EU candidates, while rural and Russian-speaking voters, many with ties to Russia, largely support pro-Russian parties. The country’s history is a patchwork of shifting allegiances—parts were absorbed into the Russian Empire in 1812, united with Romania in 1918, then folded into the Soviet Union after World War II. Independence in 1990 brought violent conflict between Romanian nationalists and Russian-speaking groups, culminating in the Russian-backed breakaway of Transnistria, where Russian troops remain stationed to this day.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, these tensions have only deepened. Sandu’s government has made EU integration the cornerstone of its foreign policy, and in 2022 Moldova became an official EU candidate. The European Union, for its part, has made clear that incorporating Moldova and Ukraine is a strategic priority. “Despite attempts at interference and the pressure, the choice of Moldovan citizens has asserted itself with force,” declared French President Emmanuel Macron on social media, as reported by Courthouse News. “France stands alongside Moldova in its European project and its momentum toward freedom and sovereignty.” Similar messages of support poured in from Romania, Germany, Poland, and EU officials, underscoring the symbolic weight of the result.
For many Moldovans, the election was existential. “PAS won because it succeeded in mobilizing voters around the idea that this election was existential in the face of the ‘Russian threat,’” explained political scientist Ion Tabarta to France 24. “It presented itself as the only option to continue Moldova’s European path.” Tabarta also credited President Sandu’s personal popularity and image as an incorruptible reformer for the party’s success, noting, “Maia Sandu has the image of an incorruptible leader who relentlessly fought against oligarchs and also enjoys international popularity.”
Still, the road ahead is anything but smooth. Moldova remains Europe’s poorest country, plagued by stark divides between urban and rural areas, persistent corruption, and stagnant living standards. Sorina Cristina Soare, a political scientist at the University of Florence, told Courthouse News, “The high level of polarization in Moldova does not allow for a very optimistic scenario in the near future. Moldova continues being the poorest country in Europe. It is very important to try to bridge the differences between urban areas and rural areas. They are relevant across Eastern Europe, but they are much bigger and more relevant in Moldova.”
Experts from the Atlantic Council echoed these concerns, warning that Russian interference is unlikely to disappear. “Moscow not only backed multiple parties in the election but used its full bag of dirty tricks to try to block a victory for the PAS,” said John E. Herbst, a former US ambassador to Ukraine. Victoria Olari, a research associate at the Atlantic Council, pointed to evidence of Russia spending hundreds of millions of dollars, spreading disinformation on TikTok, Facebook, and Telegram, and launching cyberattacks. “Russia failed to sway the Moldovan vote,” she concluded, but cautioned that “Moscow is unlikely to abandon efforts to stir instability,” particularly in separatist regions like Transnistria and Gagauzia.
Despite the challenges, the PAS’s win is being hailed as a “historic” moment. “The outcome is unequivocal as a signal of the country’s pro-Western direction,” said Olari. “PAS not only dominated among the diaspora, as in the presidential elections, but also placed first in most districts across the country, giving it broad legitimacy.” Alex Șerban, another Atlantic Council expert, noted that the PAS prevailed despite unpopular economic measures and criticism over the slow pace of rule-of-law reforms. “Voters again endorsed the European path,” he said.
Yet, as Jacques Rupnik, a Central Europe specialist, observed for France 24, the real challenge for Moldova’s pro-EU party now begins: governing. With Russian troops entrenched in Transnistria and the specter of renewed political turbulence always looming, the PAS must deliver on its promises of reform, economic improvement, and European integration. Any missteps, warns Șerban, could reignite political instability and erode popular support for the pro-European project.
As Moldova stands at this crossroads, the world is watching. The country’s future—whether as a model of European integration or a battleground for competing great powers—will depend not only on the resolve of its leaders but on their ability to bridge deep divisions and deliver tangible progress for all Moldovans.
