Candidates avoid ideological antagonism in order not to lose voters

[Info-Prim Neo analysis of the series “Platforms of Candidates for the Mayoralty of Chisinau under Civil Society Scrutiny”] The term ‘social cohesion’ is not present in the electoral programs of the two candidates for mayor of Chisinau. Thus, these pragmatic platforms contain no analysis of the factors that lead to social dispersion and at least a formal reference to the mechanisms, processes and institutions that can diminish and limit the influence of these factors on social peace. Social cohesion represents the elements that join societies. It is known that all the societies appear as a result of the interaction between the centrifugal and centripetal forces. That is the things that joint the people are similar to those that separate them. Therefore, in order to work out a strategy for ensuring social cohesion, there must be firstly identified the factors that lead to social dispersion and created or improved the mechanisms, processes and institutions that can limit the influence of these factors on social tranquility. However, both of the candidates plead for the formulation and implementation of public policies that would implicitly lead to increased cohesion in the community. The measures should be aimed first of all at combating different forms of social discrimination. The programs of the two candidates contain measures to integrate the deprived groups and to fully recognize their rights. The Social Protection chapter of the platform of the Communist Party’s candidate Igor Dodon includes 21 points that concern the socially underprivileged groups – disabled persons, elderly people, and persons on low incomes and with reduced possibilities of becoming socially integrated. The candidate promises different allowances, allocations, and benefits to improve the situation of the persons with special needs. But the voters have the right to ask: “What is the financial basis of the multitude of social assistance programs?”. Igor Dodon says most of them will be implemented with money from the municipal budget that is to be essentially augmented by implementing other programs that would help diversify the taxable base and the budget’s sources of income. This arouses skepticism as his platform says nothing about the estimated costs of the social programs proposed. The Continuation of the Social Protection Programs chapter of the Liberal Candidate’s program seems more modest. Dorin Chirtoaca pledges to continue providing compensations for heat for all the deprived groups in the city and the suburbs, 70 lei a month for trips by public units of transport and all the other existing services and benefits. From this viewpoint, the candidate’s program seems more credible as it is based on a known and appreciated precedent. Another important social cohesion factor is the interaction between the public authorities and the civil society organizations, churches, political parties and trade unions. Though the electoral program of the Communist candidate contains over 130 points, the phrase ‘civil society’ is found only in one chapter, in the following context {“the process of monitoring and controlling the quality of products and the formation of prices, prevention of cartel agreements and violation of the principles of loyal competition.”}. The candidate does not see that the NGOs play a role in diversifying and making the social services provided for persons with special needs more efficient, in discussing and implementing projects and plans to socially and economically develop the municipality, in strengthening the interethnic relations and promoting tolerance and social peace projects, etc. Though Igor Dodon’s program refers to interethnic and religious tolerance, nothing is said how this objective can be achieved if civil society is not involved in the process of knowing and promoting the culture, language and traditions of the ethnic groups living in the municipality. The support that Igor Dodon promises to the national minorities of the municipality is a strong, but simultaneously vulnerable point. The candidate says {support will be provided to develop the schools teaching the language of national minorities and to the programs enabling to study the languages of the ethnic minorities living in the municipality}, adding this support will come from the representative offices of foreign states in Moldova. He undermines thus the role of society in general and of civil society in particular. The program does not refer to the development of social partnership as element of social cohesion, where the employers and trade unions, alongside the public authorities, can play an important role in removing or diminishing the consequences of the underground economy, creating new workplaces, developing the small and medium-sized businesses, etc. Dorin Chirtoaca’s program also says nothing about the involvement of civil society in solving the problems that hinder the establishment of social cohesion in the municipality. His platform is more technical and contains a lot of figures and the succinct enumeration of projects and programs, but does not envision activities to engage civil society in the implementation of these programs. One of the problems that lead to social dispersion is the ideological antagonism and division of the people into supporters of the ‘eastern’ and ‘western’ orientation of the country. Though it is not within the competence of the municipal public authorities to formulate and promote the foreign policy of the state, the candidates focus on this issue in their speeches, not yet in their electoral programs. However, Igor Dodon’s platform contains a sentence that can cause discussions and dissention in society. In the Arts, Culture and Tourism in Chisinau Municipality chapter, it is said that “a Monument to Moldova’s Independence will be erected in the Great National Assembly Square”. This sentence has a political connotation rather than social or tourist one. Generalizing, we can say that the problem of social cohesion aimed at ensuring social peace and harmony is absent from candidates’ platforms or is addressed indirectly, emphasis being laid on the satisfaction of immediate social needs. But the voters should know: How much does the promised social benefit package costs and where will the necessary financial resources be taken from? What will the candidates do to bring closer the antagonist positions and interests of the groups of people divided according to political, ethic and geopolitical orientation criteria (including in the election campaign? What will be the future mayors’ attitude towards civil society organizations, including those dealing with human rights protection and civic control over the use of public money? Though the candidates say they will not become involved in political affairs, the people want to know what will be the municipal authorities’ attitude towards the historical, cultural and linguistic values of the inhabitants of Chisinau. What will prevail: Soviet-type or Western approaches to the most important events in the country’s history? [Vasile Cioaric, project coordinator at CONTACT Center, for Info-Prim Neo]