Moldova to hold 2023 local elections

Moldova will hold local elections today.

While municipal elections will occur today, mayors will be chosen through two more rounds of elections, starting on November 19. The leading parties are the pro-European, center-right Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) and the pro-Russian leftist Bloc of Communists and Socialists (BECS). Even though the PAS currently has a parliamentary majority, the party performed poorly in the last local elections. On the other hand, BECS has a 27% in parliament but one of its parties (PSRM) won the most districts in 2019.

Because of the PSRM popularity, in June, the pro-Russian populist party Shor was declared unconstitutional and banned by the Moldovan government. Additionally, the Moldovan Information and Security Service has blocked more than thirty Russian-based websites to clamp down on misinformation. However, several NGOs have criticized the move due to its dubious legality.

Due to the extensive anti-Russian campaign, it is unlikely that the BECS will be able to make gains at the polls. However, the coalition’s popularity in rural areas may still allow it to win more voters. If BECS were to win votes in the elections, the result may influence contemporary discourse on Transnistria, a Moldovan region that demands secession and annexation to Russia. On the other hand, a majority of PAS municipalities would establish security and continuation of the government’s policies.