Although the Republic of Moldova is making progress in the organization of elections, major shortcomings that can affect the public's trust in democratic processes persist, said the Promo-LEX Observation Mission, noting difficulties related to the legal framework regarding the registration of election competitors. Also, the involvement of unregistered subjects in the campaign was observed, both in the presidential election and in the referendum held last autumn, IPN reports.
According to the final report compiled by the Observation Mission, the competing in the election by incumbent President Maia Sandu, designated by the Party of Action and Solidarity for a new term, was a sensitive topic. This situation raised concerns about the impartiality of the electoral process and the use of administrative resources in the campaign as a clear demarcation was not made between her official duties and those of a candidate.
The Promo-LEX Observation Mission recommended that clearer regulations on the involvement of the incumbent President in elections should be made in order to prevent conflicts of interest and to ensure equal opportunities between candidates.
Another finding is related to participation in the referendum. According to Promo-LEX, the circle of those who can actively participate was limited exclusively to political parties and electoral blocs, which is contrary to international principles on democratic inclusion. Promo-LEX recommends expanding the list of participants to allow other actors, including civic groups and nongovernmental organizations, to freely express their option and actively promote positions on the subject of the referendum.
For the 2024 elections, 234 polling stations were established outside the country. The decision regarding the distribution of polling stations was taken on the basis of the previous participation of voters, preregistrations and information provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, according to experts, the process went not without controversy. For example, in the Russian Federation, where a significant number of Moldovan citizens live, only two electoral bureaus were opened, instead of five, as the CEC initially decided.
In the Transnistrian region, voting was organized in 30 polling stations specially dedicated to citizens living in this area. Although voting went smoothly, there were some incidents related to the transportation of voters and political influences on them.
