EU welcomes results of constitutional referendum and first round of presidential elections in Moldova

“The Moldovan people have expressed their desire to anchor their future in the EU,” the EU High Representative Josep Borrell and the European Commission said in a joint statement, welcoming the results of the first round of the presidential election and the constitutional referendum on EU accession held in the Republic of Moldova on 20 October.

According to the preliminary findings and conclusions of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) International Election Observation Mission, both voting processes were well-managed, says the statement: “Contestants campaigned freely in an environment characterised by concerns over illicit foreign interference and active disinformation efforts.”

According to the report by the European Parliament, OSCE/ ODIHR, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, law enforcement authorities, many international actors and civil society have said that Moldova was the target of an ongoing ‘hybrid war’ directed from abroad, which included various forms of manipulative interference to destabilise the country, illicit financing of political actors, disinformation campaigns, and cyberattacks. 

“Russia and its proxies actively tried to undermine the democratic and voting process in Moldova. We commend the Moldovan authorities for successfully organising the election and constitutional referendum, nevertheless,” says the EU statement.

It also says the EU will closely follow developments during the second round of the presidential election on 3 November and in the run up to the parliamentary elections in 2025. 

“The EU and Moldova share a common future,” the statement says, adding that the EU is committed to continue to support Moldova’s resilience, security and democracy on its path to EU membership.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also congratulated the people of Moldova and President Maia Sandu in a post on X: “You’ve done it again!In the face of Russia’s hybrid tactics, Moldova shows that it is independent, it is strong and it wants a European future!”

European Council President Charles Michel reacted to the results in Moldova, saying on X that the pro-European choice of the citizens of Moldova following the EU referendum despite “evident external interference” is “a signal that reaffirms your commitment to a European path and to continue with the necessary reforms that will transform your country”.

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