Given that most of the votes in the diaspora in the first round of elections were gained by the PAS candidate Maia Sandu, in the runoff the voters in the Western countries could face difficulties in exercising their right to vote owing to the pandemic and this is a real risk for Maia Sandu. The major risk of independent candidate Igor Dodon is the inability to overcome the image of a corrupt person created to him by Renato Usatyi. Indirectly, this could help Maia Sandu, communication expert Vlad Țurcanu stated in IPN’s public debate “Strong and weak points of the two finalists”.
Vlad Țurcanu said that even if Igor Dodon has experience to resist such attacks, it is not easy for him to do this. Another risk is the fact that he didn’t enjoy the expected support from Russia even if he presented himself as a pro-Russian politician. Society in Moldova, which is dependent on foreign assistance, including mentally, realizes that Maia Sandu is the political figure who can attract funds to Moldova. Igor Dodon, as a politician, didn’t solve the Transnistrian dispute, didn’t comprehensively address the problems of farmers and didn’t bring money from the Russian Federation.
As to the advantages that a candidate can obtain from the electoral actions taken by the authorities, the expert said it is evident that the one who now has influence on those institutions will benefit. It is not known how many Transnistrian voters will come to cast their ballots, but the figure depends on the way in which the law enforcement agencies act to discourage the paid Transnistrians to come and vote.
Igor Dodon was more pro-active than Maia Sandu, who has been rather on the defensive for about a week, after those denigrating videos about her appeared. She only reacted and decided to reject an open confrontation and this was probably a correct decision, but most of the voters, including the supporters of Renato Usatyi, expected the two to duel. There are independent platforms in the media sphere where the two candidates could have met and there were TV channels that issued invitations to them.
Vlad Țurcanu noted Moldovan society believes that the voters of the right, the pro-European ones are more active between elections and are sometimes absent from elections. Those who are nostalgic for the Soviet Union make sure they vote, regardless of age and physical condition. The voters who see Moldova’s future near the West made an effort that should be appreciated. Maia Sandu banks on the activism of these voters. However, a part of the electors who voted for the other candidates might not go to the polls this Sunday for particular reasons.
“I want to note the insistence and determination of the camp of Maia Sandu who, this time, does not seem ready to accept a new defeat to Dodon, who is now not supported by Vladimir Plahotniuc and his resources, as in 2016. Without this support, Igor Dodon seems vulnerable,” concluded Vlad Țurcanu.
The debate “Strong and weak points of the two finalists” was the tenth installment of the series “We and the President: who elects who, who represents who” that is supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation.
