A victory for pro-Western incumbent Sandu could help ease Moldova’s path to the EU
An elderly Moldovan woman casts her vote into a mobile urn, during local elections in Chisinau, Moldova, Nov. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Aurel Obreja)
DATE OF ELECTION
November/December
TYPE OF ELECTION
Presidential
WHO’S RUNNING
Moldova’s presidential elections come at a crucial time for the small country as it pursues its path for joining the EU and claims of nefarious Russian interface amid the war in neighboring Ukraine. Incumbent pro-Western President Maia Sandu will seek a second term and current polls have her ahead of the pro-Russia opposition candidate Igor Dodon.
WHY IT MATTERS TO THE WORLD
For years, Moldova has languished in geopolitical uncertainty between Moscow and the EU. Since Russia invaded Ukraine, however, the former Soviet republic Moldova has faced a notably rocky period that has pushed officials to pursue a more decisive path to joining the 27-nation bloc, with Brussels saying in December 2023 that it would open negotiation talks with Chisinau. But claims by Moldovan authorities about ongoing Russian destabilization attempts - including the interference in local elections last fall — show that its Western shift is always being challenged.
For more on the global elections, click here
To see how other 2024 elections could affect the world, click here