At a Crossroads – Moldova’s EU Future on the Ballot

25. juni 2025 by Marcus

EU on the Agenda

Last autumn, Moldova enshrined the goal of EU membership in its constitution, following a controversial and razor-thin referendum. It marked the high point of a long-term pivot towards the West.

For most of its history after World War II, the country maintained close ties to the Soviet Union and later Russia. But over the past decade, through free trade and association agreements, Moldova has forged strong links with the EU, now its leading trade and energy partner.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sealed this political shift back in march 2022: in an immediate response, the governing Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) applied for EU membership. Just months later, in summer 2022, the EU granted Moldova candidate status.

A Potentially Tight Election

The EU question dominates Moldova’s political debate. It is deeply polarising, serving as a prism for the kind of future each political camp envisions: tackling corruption, spurring economic growth, shaping the country’s geopolitical and foreign policy alignment as well as its identity.

PAS has enjoyed an absolute majority during this parliamentary term, enabling it to set the political agenda with little resistance. But its popularity is slipping. While public support for EU membership remains relatively high, last year’s unexpectedly close presidential race – between pro-European incumbent Maia Sandu and EU-sceptic challenger Alexandr Stoianoglu – showed just how unpredictable Moldova’s politics can be.

Frustration over the pace of reforms and the pull of Russian influence could raise the prospect that PAS may need to work with parties that do not share its foreign policy priorities or reform drive. Even if PAS continues to continue as the biggest party in government, such compromises could hinder its EU course – with ripple effects for the EU’s broader enlargement strategy.

Join our online debate to learn more about Moldova – a country at a crossroads. Together with invited experts, Marcus Popov will unpack the accession and reform process, the polarisation over the EU and Russia, the perspective of the young voters and the Moldovan civil society – and venture a prediction on the election outcome.