Electoral symbols help voters decide whom to vote for. Info-Prim Neo analysis

The contenders made numerous promises to the voters during the election campaign by different ways: debates, electoral advertisements, meetings with the voters, well-planned street events, etc. The final fight is given for the votes of the undecided persons. The electoral symbols will make them make up their minds. “Though the symbol is only an impetus for making a decision, it is very important as it is like a bridge from the unconscious imprint to the appearance of the motive that determines the subsequent behavior,” explains psychologist Svetlana Rusnac, head of the Psychology Department of the Free International University of Moldova (ULIM). According to Natalia Cojocaru, specialist in social psychology, the importance of the party’s leader and defining signs are decisive in obtaining a vote as the people in Moldova do not pay special attention to the party’s team. “The population considers that the leader must be a savior for the team, not vice versa. The leader is the one that bears responsibility for the party’s successes and failures. If the people made decisions only on the basis of the party’s symbols, the possibilities of winning new supporters would be low. But, the interdependent symbol, message, activities and the leader offer the party all the chances of entering the Parliament,” Natalia Cojocaru said. [Symbol that causes confusion] Specialists say that a number of political parties only make the voters confused by their electoral signs. For example, the chromatics and symbol of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) make a direct connection with the identity of the Communist Party (PCRM). “The PSD will be never associated with the spring or with the symbol of revival as the party’s red color will be confused with the PCRM,” considers Natalia Cojocaru. By its symbol – the martisor – the PSD tries to give national connotations to the party and to tell the voters that if it comes to power, it will make a sudden change for the better in the social, political and economic life. “On the other hand, the martisor as symbol is banal for a party. The electoral sign is not inspired and the party can be confused with the “Martisor” festival included in ballots by accident,” said Valentin Dorogan, expert in semiotics, head of the Communication Department of the State University of Moldova. Valentin Dorogan considers that the symbols of the PCRM make the people believe that it is a revolutionary party that promotes the change and patriotism or that it could use violence and bloodshed in order to come to power. Psychologist Svetlana Rusnac said that the hammer and the sickle for the ordinary people might mean femininity and masculinity as well as uncertainty owing to the contradiction between the two sides. Svetlana Rusnac also said that the symbol of the Democratic Party (PDM) – a bouquet of red roses – can be confused with the symbol of the PSD. “In fact, it is a banal symbol that could mean a possible success of the country or a declaration of love for the voters,” the expert said. She added that it could also mean fertility, birth-death, but also feelings of fear and hope. The European Action Movement (MAE) also confuses the electorate. “The MAE, through the abbreviation that appears in its symbol, can be easily mixed up with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Though the party wants to show that it tends to European integration, revealing its patriotic character, the voters might not have an increased interest in it,” thinks Natalia Cojocaru, specialist in social psychology. “The symbol of the MAE represents masculinity except the circle formed of stars (femininity), which is presented less expressively. The authors of the symbol wanted to show dynamism and development and a long and difficult path to European integration marked by problems,” said psychologist Svetlana Rusnac. [With smell of naphthalene] According to the experts, a large part of the voters consider the Centrist Union of Moldova (UCM) similar with the PCRM because its leader Vasile Tarlev was and will be regarded as a promoter of the Communist ideals. At the same time, the UCM does not have many chances to win voters by its symbol as the excess of colors baffles the people, considers Valentin Dorogan. Psychologist Svetlana Rusnac said that the word ‘Tarlev’ in the UCM’s symbol gives the impression of authoritarianism. The symbol of the Conservative Party (PC) – a bunch of grapes – makes the PC look like a party with old ideas that smell of naphthalene and is similar to other parties like the PCRM. “The party has a conservative symbol that shows once again that we live with nostalgia for the Soviet times,” said Valentin Dorogan. The head of the ULIM Psychology Department Svetlana Rusnac considers that the grapes cause a feeling of pride for the country, but also of incapacity to fulfill one’s dreams. The electoral signs of the Labor Union “Patria-Rodina”, the Republican Party (PR) and the Spiritual Development Party “United Moldova” make the voters think about the Soviet period. “Their symbols show pro-Communist orientation and nostalgia for the Soviet times whereby they plead for the union of the ethnic groups of Moldova. “As a rule, the sunflower means wisdom, maturity and consistency. But in the case of the PC, the symbol means infantilism and incapacity to make independent decisions,” the specialists say. [Without new supporters] The signs of the Christian Democratic People’s Party (PPCD) will no more make the people sensitive. Neither the heart nor the symbol of Stephan the Great or the European Union stars represented on the party’s symbol will help win new voters as reputation of the PPCD leaders is damaged, considers Natalia Cojocaru. According to her, the PPCD can remain with only 4-5% of the 11% of the vote won in the 2005 parliamentary elections. But Svetlana Rusnac said that the heart of the PPCD, which contains the European Community’s yellow stars and the monument to ruler Stephan the Great (history, traditions, statehood), carries a powerful and positive message. The PCRM will also not win new supporters and will keep only the faithful ones, the experts consider. The voters disappointed in the PCRM that live with nostalgia for the past could offer their votes to the UCM, PSD or other pro-Russia parties,” Natalia Cojocaru said. [Where do the undecided voters go?] Experts in psychology and communication divide the undecided voters into several categories: voters disappointed in a political party, voters that are poorly informed about the electoral offers, disinterested voters that always vote at random, and young voters that form their preferences. The disinterested and uninformed voters that will still go to the polls will vote for the electoral symbol that they will like best. Also, they could also vote for the first five parties written in the ballots. The first information obtained will have its effect. The first information attracts our attention and we usually consider it the most important, said Natalia Cojocaru. The disappointed voters would choose a party in which to put their trust, but this party should not be discredited and have a message close to their own ideals. According to Natalia Cojocaru, most of the votes of the undecided persons will be distributed among the Liberal Party (PL) and the Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova (PLDM). Only a small part of these voters would choose the Moldova Noastra Alliance (AMN). Valentin Dorogan considers that the voters who say they are not adequately informed know a lot of symbols of political parties as they were present at the previous elections. “The parties like the PCRM and AMN have long been on the political arena and the voters heard about them at least once. Subconsciously, the voters know several symbols and will make up their minds on the spot,” Dorogan said. He also said that the people regard the PL, PLDM and AMN as patriotic parties that want Moldova to become part of the EU, keep the national traditions, defend the moral values and reinvigorate the county socially, politically and economically. According to Svetlana Rusnac, the AMN’s sun and the sky in the background give the impression of power, but this power can be interpreted as non-controlled power that can kill by its brilliance. “The green color is seldom met in the electoral symbols. By its oak tree, the PLDM tries to send a message of virility, power, resistance, but also unwanted associations like lack of support. Green is a mediating color between cold and hot, a calming, refreshing, human color,” said Svetlana Rusnac. The specialists say that only several elements of the electoral symbols unconsciously make the voters to have a motivation in favor or one or another party. These are the elements of masculinity promoted by the signs of the AMN, PCRM, PLDM, MAE, and PPCD. “A new prototype appeared in the contemporary collective conscience – wellbeing resulting from European integration. The European symbols make the symbols of the PL and PPCD more attractive. Two more symbols contain European elements, but they are inexpressive,” Rusnac said.