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Republic of Moldova

Monthly Event Reports

January 2024 | State of emergency ends but some powers remain

Moldova’s government let the state of emergency that had been instituted at the onset of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine lapse on 31 December 2023, after passing legislation that transferred some emergency powers to regular governments. These powers include more authority to directly manage Moldova’s energy sector and food supply, as well as allowing the government to suspend media broadcasting licenses without a court order to prevent the spread of propaganda. Domestic civil society criticized this last provision, made public only on 29 December 2023, as “a profound interference with the right to free expression” and said the lack of transparency and public inclusion in the process conflicts with Moldovan laws on public participation.

December 2023 | Investigation reveals widespread campaign finance fraud
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A campaign finance investigation by Moldovan media outlet TV8 found that Chisinau mayor Ion Ceban’s National Alternative Movement (MAN) Party and the Ilan Shor-linked Renaissance Party both systematically used “straw donors” to fund their 2023 local election campaigns. While campaign finance fraud is historically common in Moldova and has rarely been successfully prosecuted, TV8’s detailed reporting is novel. In both cases, official records showed private individuals making almost exclusively cash donations. In MAN’s case, the donations were often on the same day and in the same amount by large groups of employees working at the same state institution, and in Renaissance’s case, by students and pensioners. Individuals interviewed by TV8 journalists either denied making any contribution at all, incorrectly recalled the details of their donation, or refused to speak to the journalists. The investigation found no similar activity by the ruling PAS or Socialists. It is unclear if prosecutors plan to follow up on TV8’s investigation.

November 2023 | EU agrees to launch accession negotiations
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The European Commission recommended that the European Union open accession negotiations with Moldova on 8 November, and the members of the European Council unanimously agreed on 14 December. The move is symbolic and was celebrated by both Moldovan and European political leaders, but it is not a guarantee of future membership. As a condition for future membership, the EU says Moldova must commit to a wide range of reforms, including to the criminal justice and financial sectors as well as improvements in the rule of law.

July 2023 | Ministers replaced after airport shooting

Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean replaced the ministers of Interior, Education, and Development on 14 July. The ministers had resigned following a deadly gun attack at Chisinau Airport on 30 June, where a Tajik citizen killed two officers after being denied entry to Moldova. The resignation of Interior Minister, Ana Revenco, had been demanded by parliamentary opposition. However, the relation of the portfolios of ministers of Science and Education, and Infrastructure and Regional Development was not made publicly clear by the government.  

Explore past monthly event reports

GSoD Indices Data 2013-2022

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Basic Information

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Population Tooltip
2 573 930
System of government
Parliamentary system
Head of government
Prime Minister Dorin Recean (since 2023)
Head of government party
Independent
Electoral system for lower or single chamber
List Proportional Representation
Women in lower or single chamber
38.6%
Women in upper chamber
Not applicable
Last legislative election
2021
Effective number of political parties Tooltip
2.79
Head of state
President Maia Sandu
Selection process for head of state
Direct election (two-round majority)
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) date
28/01/2022
Population Tooltip
2 573 930
System of government
Parliamentary system
Head of government
Prime Minister Dorin Recean (since 2023)
Head of government party
Independent
Electoral system for lower or single chamber
List Proportional Representation
Women in lower or single chamber
38.6%
Women in upper chamber
Not applicable
Last legislative election
2021
Effective number of political parties Tooltip
2.79
Head of state
President Maia Sandu
Selection process for head of state
Direct election (two-round majority)
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) date
28/01/2022
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Human Rights Treaties

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State Party State party
Signatory Signatory
No Action No action
United Nations Human Right Treaties
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
State Party
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
State Party
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
State Party
Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
State Party
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment
State Party
Convention on the Rights of the Child
State Party
International Convention on Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families
No Action
International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance 
Signatory
International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
State Party
International Labour Organisation Treaties
Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention
State Party
Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention
State Party
Equal Remuneration Convention
State Party
Abolition of Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention
State Party
Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment
State Party
Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention
State Party
Regional Treaties
Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
Protocol No. 4 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
Protocol No. 6 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
Protocol No. 7 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
Protocol No. 12 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
Signatory
Protocol No. 13 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
in
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Performance by category over the last 6 months

Representation neutral Representation
Sep 2023
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2024
Representation neutral Rights
Sep 2023
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2024
Representation neutral Rule of law
Sep 2023
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2024
Representation neutral Participation
Sep 2023
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2024

Global State of Democracy Indices

Hover over the trend lines to see the exact data points across the years

Explore the indices
Representation
Representation
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Rights
Rights
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Rule of Law
Rule of Law
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Participation
Participation
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Annual value

Factors of Democratic Performance Over Time

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