The Parliament has voted in the second reading the amendments to the Electoral Code, which provide new rules for postal voting, elections in the Gagauz Autonomous Territorial Unit, and the prevention of the use of administrative resources in electoral campaigns, reports IPN.

Thus, in the elections for the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia, deputies will be elected based on the proportional system, similar to the one used in local council elections. The elections of November 15, 2026, will be organized, for the last time, under the majority system. The project also strengthens the status of the Central Electoral Council of Gagauzia, which will have between seven and 11 members and will be integrated into the unitary system of the electoral administration.

The new provisions also establish measures to prevent the use of administrative resources for electoral purposes. Authorities will have to ensure equal conditions for electoral competitors in the use of spaces for meetings with voters, and these events must be organized outside the working hours of public institutions. According to the amendments, registration at the domicile or at the temporary residence must be done at least three months before the election so that the voter can vote based on this data.

There are also changes to the postal vote. The electoral code will include definitions for this voting method, remote identification of voters through digital means, and the electoral list for postal voting. A separate electoral council will also be established for organizing this type of vote. Voters abroad will be able to opt for postal voting after prior registration and eligibility verification.

The Parliament has adjusted the rules regarding the accounts used in electoral campaigns and by initiative groups as well. Electoral competitors will be able to use, in addition to bank accounts, payment accounts offered by providers authorized by the National Bank of Moldova.

At the same time, provisions were introduced regarding the adjustment of candidate lists in the event that the exclusion of individuals declared ineligible affects the minimum quota of representation of both sexes. The amendment was formulated based on the recommendations of the OSCE/ODIHR after the parliamentary elections of September 28, 2025.

The initiative was drafted by a group of PAS deputies, with proposals from the Central Electoral Commission resulting from the evaluations of the 2024 and 2025 elections. The authors organized public consultations in Chisinau and Comrat and included solutions for the implementation of a decision of the Constitutional Court from July 9, 2026.