The elections held on September 28th in the Republic of Moldova marked more than a political contest. They became a battle for identity, a test of resilience, and perhaps the country’s most decisive step yet toward the European family it aspires to join.
From the early morning hours, Moldovan citizens lined up at polling stations both at home and across Europe. Many had traveled long distances to cast their ballots, a vivid sign that the democratic spirit runs deep within the Moldovan electorate.
The turnout was not only high—it was historic. And once again, as they did in the presidential elections and the constitutional referendum of 2024, Moldovans demonstrated maturity, discipline, and an immunity to propaganda carefully brewed in Moscow’s shadowy corridors.
Organizing these elections was nothing short of heroic. The authorities in Chisinau had to navigate waves of cyberattacks, disinformation blitzes, and provocations engineered by Moscow-backed actors. Yet, against all odds, Moldova delivered a vote that international observers already describe as free, fair, and democratic.
But Moscow’s reaction tells another story—one of desperation. Having watched its candidates fail in the 2024 presidential race, the Kremlin seems unwilling to accept the voice of Moldovan voters. Reports suggest that even before the campaign began, Russian intelligence operatives were mobilizing. FSB and GRU officers allegedly dispatched recruits to training camps in Serbia, where they were taught how to hijack peaceful protests and escalate them into violent confrontations with police.
Meanwhile, pro-Russian political forces inside Moldova carefully cultivated suspicion. Throughout the campaign, they repeated a single narrative: that the elections would be stolen. Their goal was clear—not to win the people’s trust, but to prepare their supporters to take to the streets should the results displease them.
Perhaps most telling was the announcement by former president Igor Dodon, leader of the pro-Russian Patriotic Block. Before ballots were even cast, Dodon pledged to stage a protest on September 29th, regardless of the outcome. His words rang hollow against polls that at times placed his party ahead of the pro-European Action and Solidarity Party (PAS). But hindsight suggests this was not a slip of the tongue—it was part of a larger script authored far from Chisinau.
That script is Moscow’s design: to sow chaos, destabilize Moldova, and, if possible, topple its pro-European government and president. Billions of rubles have already been funneled into this effort, buying influence, financing media outlets, and fueling disinformation networks.
Yet money cannot buy what Moldova has shown the world again and again: a determination to belong to Europe, to democracy, and to a future free of imperial manipulation.
The battle for Moldova is not over. If anything, it has only intensified. The Kremlin may still attempt to steal on the streets what it failed to secure at the ballot box. But Sunday’s elections stand as a reminder that Moldova’s people have chosen their path. And they will not give it up without a fight.
