The assertions that the officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova try to incline the scales toward a particular election contestant are not true. The assertions should be based on facts. The Ministry announced that it intends to establish 190 polling stations abroad, as opposed to 136 stations in the presidential elections of 2020. At the previous elections, 17 polling stations were established in Russia and the average rate was of 350 citizens per station. In the European states, the density per polling station was six times higher than in Russia. Over 5,000 people came to ten polling stations in the West, the standing expert of IPN’s project Igor Boțan said in the public debate “Particularities of election campaign 2021: traditions and new tendencies”.
Igor Boțan noted he cannot describe the Bloc of the Communists and the Socialists as one of the left. “The PSRM is a conservative party that lays emphasis on tradition and insists on the role of the church in the social life. The Bloc of the Communists and the Socialists comes with a geopolitical message aimed at reviewing the European course of the Republic of Moldova. By its message, the PCRM is not a revolutionary party and a party of the left by far.”
According to the expert, Maia Sandu’s program is of the left even if her former party says it is of the right and plans to increase pensions and other social welfare. The rise in social welfare is possible only if there is economic growth and some of the politicians should not make populist statement on the issue. When the people realize that the rise in social benefits depends on economic growth, everyone will be interested in the economic development of the country. For PAS, the snap parliamentary elections of July 11 represent the third round of the presidential elections. This party will base its campaign on Maia Sandu’s program that needs the support of a parliamentary majority.
Igor Boțan said the electoral spaces are purely conventional. “The electoral space of the PSRM is rather related to conservatism, but the Socialists should bring this space closer to the Eurasian space. The electoral space of the PCRM is the same Eurasian space. The PAS’ ideology is Social-Liberal and the party’s program is social in origin. The unionists say the Republic of Moldova is a failed state and this segment of politicians are rather social unionists as they promise, for example, four times higher salaries and pensions. Many persons who are not unionists could vote for the unionists as they will be persuaded by the promise of such high salaries and pensions. The citizens who want immediate actions will vote for the Shor Party, which is famous for its chain of so-called social stores. The political parties in the civilized countries do not deal with trade. The quality of those products is doubtful given that they are sold at lower prices.”
The public debate “Particularities of election campaign 2021: traditions and new tendencies” is the 187th installment of IPN’s project “Developing Political Culture through Public Debates” that is supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation.
