Moldova's Pivotal Election Amid Russian Interference Allegations

Fri Oct 03 2025 03:05:37 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

As Moldova approaches a critical election, accusations of Russian influence and manipulation loom large, with supporters rallying to ensure pro-European policies prevail.

Moldova is on the brink of crucial parliamentary elections as the shadow of Russian interference casts doubt on the process. Evidence of vote-buying and disinformation campaigns linked to Russia has surfaced, prompting fears of potential unrest and manipulation. The governing pro-European party, PAS, is rallying support against perceived threats from Moscow, while opposition leaders challenge claims of interference, framing them as political tactics. Amid an ever-strained economy, Moldovans face choices that could define their country’s future orientation.

The crowd filing through central Chisinau waving EU flags on Friday evening was clear: they believe Russia is trying to steal their election and bring pro-Kremlin politicians to power in Moldova.

Their weapon is money, your weapon is your vote!, was the loudest chant as several hundred supporters of the governing party, PAS, and its pro-European policies joined the final rally before Sunday's ballot.

This week Moldovan police and prosecutors disclosed evidence of election interference on an unprecedented scale: vote-buying and disinformation that they link directly to Russia. They've also uncovered a plot to foment violent unrest, detaining dozens of men who travelled to Serbia for training including in the use of firearms.

Opposition parties dismiss talk of Russian meddling as a political show, claiming the government is laying the ground to annul the vote should PAS lose its majority in parliament.

But Moldova took a decisive turn towards EU membership and away from Moscow after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Now the evidence suggests Russia has been investing heavily in restoring its influence.

It's trying to claw back control.

Prime Minister Dorin Recean sees these elections as a final battle for his country. There is constant pressure from Russia, he told me, as the pro-PAS crowd broke up after its brief march through Chisinau. They're spending the equivalent of more than 1% of our GDP to overthrow our government - on propaganda and false messages.

Some of that fake-news network – posting anti PAS content for cash – was uncovered in a recent BBC investigation. It's linked to Ilan Sor, a fugitive Moldovan oligarch now in Moscow.

In response to the BBC investigation, the Russian embassy in the UK denied involvement in fake news and electoral interference and claimed that it was the EU that had been interfering in Moldova's election.

So PAS is trying to mobilise voters by driving home the danger. Its bright yellow election flyers are full of promises that the party guarantees EU membership in the next four years along with a bounty of European investment and maximum respect in the world.

The flip side of the paper is dark and disturbing. There's an image of Ukrainian homes destroyed by war and a warning not to hand our country over to Russia. Then come the faces of Moldova's opposition leaders and the slogan: Say no to Putin's candidates.

Beyond PAS, the choice on Sunday includes the Patriotic Bloc made up primarily of the Socialist and Communist parties, and another bloc, Alternativa, which posits itself as pro-EU but its candidates include individuals facing legal challenges.

Amid high stakes and potential unrest, the outcome of Moldova's election could define its geopolitical direction at a critical juncture for Eastern Europe.