In a democracy, it is normal for everyone who meets the conditions to run for the highest office in the state, said PAS MP Vasile Grădinaru, commenting on the multitude of potential candidates who have announced their intention to take part in the electoral competition. In the same connection, the executive director of the Institute for Strategic Initiatives (IPIS) Vlad Kulminski said that the result of the presidential election of this autumn is predictable, if there are no major destabilization actions and challenges, IPN reports.
The PAS noted that the stakes of the people who aspire to the office of President are different. While some potential candidates want to gain visibility in the run-up to the 2025 parliamentary elections, others are playing into the hands of the Kremlin.
“Any serious party measures its steps very well when it starts a fight. They also look at the polls to see what the chances are and it is hard to believe that if you don’t even appear in the polls, you will contend in the elections and win them. But in a democracy, it is normal for everyone who meets the conditions to run. Some of them are contending to win these elections, others – to increase the party’s rating, while the third – because Moscow has given them instructions. I suspect that at some stage some of them will withdraw, if the Kremlin instructs them to do so. But I think this will happen closer to the elections. It is difficult to distinguish between the representatives of Russia and those of criminal organizations. It is yet definite that there are candidates who work in the interests of the citizens of the Republic of Moldova and there are candidates who work in the interests of the Russian Federation and these will act as they will be instructed,” Vasile Grădinaru stated in the program “Emphasis on Today” on TVR Moldova.
The IPIS executive director Vlad Kulminski said that in the conditions of a campaign without major destabilization actions, the result of the presidential election is predictable. The decisive battle, which will determine the fate of the country, will take place during the 2025 parliamentary elections.
“If we do not have major disturbances, if there are no destabilization actions, if the state institutions deal with all the challenges that will arise, the fate of the presidential election is clear. There is not much doubt about what will happen in the presidential election and all the opinion polls show this. But the real battle will be fought in the parliamentary elections. For the first time in the history of the Republic of Moldova, the choice that the citizens will make will matter a lot. Usually, small states have a limited geopolitical role. But there are moments in history when the choice made by small states matters a lot. The choice that the citizens will make will determine the fate of the country for a long time to come,” stated Vlad Kulminski.
So far, the following potential candidates have announced their intention to run for the office of President of the Republic of Moldova: Ion Chicu, Andrei Năstase, Maia Sandu, Alexandr Stoianoglo, Irina Vlah, Tudor Ulianovschi, Natalia Morari, Renato Usatyi, Vlad Filat, and Grigore Belostecinic. According to the CEC decision, the electoral period for the presidential election and the referendum of October 20 begins on August 1.
