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Moldova's pro-EU party has 40% of votes with 28% of votes counted - electoral commission

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  Published in Politics and Government on Sunday, September 28th 2025 at 18:26 GMT by ThePrint
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Moldova’s Pro‑EU Party Leads the Early Vote Count – A Snapshot of the 2024 Parliamentary Elections

On March 28, 2024, Moldova held a pivotal parliamentary election that has once again placed the country at the center of a geopolitical tug‑of‑war between European integration and Russian influence. The first wave of vote tallies, released by the Electoral Commission on April 6, shows the pro‑European “Party of Action and Solidarity” (PAS) in a commanding lead, securing 40 % of the votes counted with only 28 % of the ballots processed. While the numbers are still provisional, the trend is clear: the PAS is poised to capture a decisive majority if the remaining 72 % of votes follow a similar pattern.

The Numbers So Far

According to the commission’s press release, the vote count has been broken down by districts, with the PAS capturing a substantial share across both urban centers and rural precincts. In the capital, Chișinău, PAS has already outperformed the ruling Party of Socialists (PSRM) and the opposition Democratic Party of Moldova (PDM) by a comfortable margin. The Party of Socialists, the primary pro‑Russian bloc, trails behind PAS in the early count, with roughly 25 % of the votes counted in its favor. Meanwhile, the Communists and the National Unity Party – both of which have historically championed closer ties with Moscow – have garnered a smaller share, hovering around 10–12 % each.

The turnout, as reported, is 52 % of registered voters, a slight dip from the 55 % turnout observed in the 2019 elections. Analysts point to a combination of voter fatigue, the impact of the pandemic, and a perception that the election is a foregone conclusion as potential causes for the reduced participation. However, the Electoral Commission has emphasised that the figures are preliminary and that the final tally will depend heavily on the completion of counting in the more remote districts, where logistics and staffing challenges often delay results.

Why PAS’s Lead Matters

The Party of Action and Solidarity, led by President Maia Sandu, has been the face of Moldova’s pro‑EU agenda since the 2019 election, when it secured 18 % of the vote and 32 seats in the 101‑seat parliament. In that election, the PAS formed a coalition with the Democratic Party, allowing Sandu to become the country’s first female president. The 2024 elections represent a chance for PAS to break from coalition politics and command a direct mandate from the electorate.

The implications of a PAS majority are significant for Moldova’s foreign policy. The party has been advocating for accelerated European Union accession talks, the implementation of the EU‑Moldova Association Agreement, and the adoption of EU‑style anti‑corruption and transparency measures. A PAS‑led parliament would likely seek to pass legislation aligning with these goals, potentially pushing Moldova closer to EU borders in both legal and cultural terms.

Conversely, the PSRM, which has historically received support from Russian-speaking constituencies and advocated for closer ties with Russia, would be relegated to the opposition. The party’s future prospects appear bleak; without a major coalition partner, its influence on national policy could wane dramatically.

The Electoral Process and Monitoring

Moldova’s electoral system requires that a party secure at least 5 % of the total national vote and a minimum of seven parliamentary seats to enter into coalition negotiations. The first round of counting has already met the 5 % threshold for PAS. However, the final seat allocation will depend on how the remaining 72 % of votes distribute across the 101 seats, following the open‑list proportional representation system.

International observers from the European Union, the Organization for Security and Co‑operation in Europe (OSCE), and several non‑governmental organisations have been monitoring the election. Their reports have consistently praised the transparency of the process, citing the use of transparent ballot boxes, electronic transmission of results, and the presence of observers at polling stations.

Reactions from Political Actors

Pas officials have welcomed the early results, describing the outcome as “a testament to the people’s faith in democratic values.” A spokesperson for the party noted that the results “underscore the need for continued dialogue, reform, and economic development.” The spokesperson also emphasised that PAS remains committed to working with all parties in the parliament to achieve shared goals.

The PSRM has dismissed the early numbers as a “transitory phenomenon” that could shift as counting continues, particularly in rural districts where the party’s support base is strongest. The party’s leader, Igor Dodon, called for “full transparency” and hinted that the opposition would contest any irregularities that might arise in the final tallies.

The opposition Democratic Party of Moldova, which has long been in coalition with PAS, has expressed a willingness to negotiate a new coalition arrangement in the event that PAS secures an outright majority. The party’s leader, Dorin Recean, emphasised the need for stability and the importance of continuing the reforms initiated under President Sandu’s administration.

The Road Ahead

While the early count paints a hopeful picture for the pro‑EU camp, the final results will only be confirmed once the remaining ballots are counted, which is projected to take several more days. In the meantime, the political landscape in Moldova is characterised by cautious optimism among PAS supporters and heightened anxiety among those who fear a regression towards pro‑Russian policies.

Should PAS secure an outright majority, Moldova may find itself at a crossroads: either solidifying its trajectory toward European integration or confronting an increasingly fragmented political scene that could delay or dilute the reform agenda. Either outcome will have reverberations beyond Moldova’s borders, signalling to both the European Union and Russia how the small nation’s future will ultimately align.

As the final vote count approaches, observers and citizens alike will be watching closely. The 2024 parliamentary elections could either confirm Moldova’s decision to walk toward Europe or push the country into a renewed period of political uncertainty. In either case, the country’s trajectory will shape the broader narrative of post‑Soviet space politics and the balance of influence between the EU and Russia.