Maia Sandu, Moldova’s pro-Western incumbent president, has been re-elected for a second term, marking a historic win in the face of reported Russian attempts to sway the election outcome. Sandu secured 55.41% of the vote, making her the first Moldovan president to achieve a second term by popular vote since the country gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
Sandu’s victory is a significant step forward for Moldova’s pro-European aspirations, following a national referendum supporting EU membership—a goal that Sandu has consistently championed. Despite her win, Moldova’s national intelligence agency had previously warned of potential Russian interference, alleging a campaign to “vilify and discredit” pro-European candidates.
Throughout the election process, Moldova witnessed substantial interference, with over 100 incidents recorded by Promo-LEX, an election monitoring organization. Reports included improperly sealed ballot boxes and organized voter transportation, both violations of Moldova’s election regulations. Cyberattacks further targeted the Central Election Commission’s voter information site, temporarily disrupting its accessibility on election day due to a DDoS attack. Other attacks aimed at voter record systems hindered communication between polling stations domestically and abroad.
National security adviser Stanislav Secrieru addressed these incidents, stating, “Measures are in place to protect election integrity. It’s going to be a long night for our cyber defenders.”
Unlike other countries experiencing electoral disruption, Moldova allowed its diaspora, approximately 20% of the electorate, to participate. Support from Moldovans living abroad was heavily in favor of Sandu and the European integration path she advocates. Efforts to disrupt these international votes included bomb threats at election centers in the UK and Germany. Merseyside Police confirmed that a bomb threat in Liverpool briefly interrupted voting, but proceedings resumed soon after.
A joint statement from the U.S., UK, and Canada earlier this year had expressed concerns about Kremlin interference, affirming their confidence in Moldova’s resilience and commitment to democratic values. Following her victory, Sandu posted a message of solidarity with the Moldovan people and the pro-European movement in neighboring Georgia, where political tensions continue over disputed election results.
U.S. President Joe Biden commended Sandu’s re-election, describing it as a “historic reelection” that resisted Russian influence. Biden emphasized, “For months, Russia sought to undermine Moldova’s democratic institutions and election processes. But Russia failed. The Moldovan people have chosen to pursue a path aligned with Europe and democracies everywhere.”
With the challenges of foreign interference, cyber threats, and regional political tensions, Sandu’s win is not only a victory for Moldova but a statement of its intent to align with the European Union and defend democratic values.
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