The residents of Gagauzia want the future composition of the People’s Assembly to put an end to political conflicts and contribute to improving relations with the central authorities. At the same time, voters expect a change in the political class and greater mutual respect among the deputies. The extent to which the elections of November 15 will meet these expectations was discussed by participants in the public debate titled “The specifics of the 2026 elections for the People’s Assembly of the ATU Gagauzia”, organized by the IPN news agency.

Comrat journalist Piotr Garciu says people are tired of political conflicts, disputes between the authorities in Comrat and Chisinau, and the protests of recent years. According to him, residents want normal relations between the two levels of government and constructive dialogue.

Another source of discontent is the atmosphere at sessions of the People’s Assembly, where deputies interrupt and insult one another. The journalist says voters are hoping for a renewal of the political class, as the current regional legislature’s performance has not lived up to everyone’s expectations.

Serghei Neicovcen, executive director of the Contact Centre, a civil society organisation that is part of the Civic Coalition for Free and Fair Elections, explained that the elections on 15 November are being held under an electoral framework amended following the Constitutional Court’s ruling in July. One of the main changes involves integrating the region’s electoral system into the national one. As a result, Gagauzia’s Central Electoral Commission has been replaced by a Central Electoral Council, whose members are appointed by the national Central Electoral Commission.

Serghei Neicovcen noted that, following these changes, electoral bodies in Gagauzia are less independent than they were in previous elections. He also recalled the difficulties in dialogue between the central and regional authorities that have marked relations between Chisinau and Comrat over the past three years. He said there is hope that these problems will be overcome after the November 15 election.

Against the backdrop of legislative changes aimed at integrating the region’s electoral system into the national framework, the project’s resident expert, Igor Botan, explained the differences between majoritarian, proportional and mixed electoral systems, and how they translate voters’ ballots into seats.

He noted that the majoritarian system favors larger parties but can limit the representation of smaller ones, while the proportional system allows a broader range of political views to be represented. The mixed system combines the two approaches, providing representation through both party lists and single-member constituencies.

The public debate “Distinctive features of the 2026 elections to the People’s Assembly of the ATU of Gagauzia” is the 362nd edition of the series “Developing Political Culture through Public Debates”. The IPN News Agency organizes this debate series with the support of Germany’s Hanns Seidel Foundation.