The population of the Republic of Moldova could continue to decline in the coming decades, with no signs pointing to an increase in the number of inhabitants. This statement was made by political scientist Alexandr Makuhin during a public debate titled “An Increasingly Empty Moldova: Will Local Public Administration Reform Save the Villages?”, organized by the IPN news agency. The expert cited a study by the UNFPA, according to which the country’s population is projected to fall to 1.8 million by 2040.

“There is a UNFPA study conducted in 2025, according to which a population of 1.8 million inhabitants is forecasted for the year 2040, and by 2050 the population of the Republic of Moldova will decrease to 1.7 million inhabitants. There are no premises for the population number to increase”, explained the doctor in political science, Alexandr Makuhin.

According to the expert, the reorganization of the APL could have effects on how communities are managed and on the services offered to people, but there are no premises that such a reform could stop depopulation or the migration of citizens.

“I do not believe that a reform, no matter how good it may be, can stop the demographic decline and migration process. There is no data even in European countries, which are facing demographic problems, that local public administration reform would solve the problem of demographic decline. People do not leave the village just because they have to travel 10 kilometers to the town hall, this is not the factor that determines people’s departure from the country”, Alexandr Makuhin further stated.

Disclaimer: This material was produced by the IPN News Agency as part of the “Local Public Administration Reform in Dialogue” project, funded by the Ministry of Culture through the Media Subsidy Fund.