The presidential elections and the constitutional referendum on October 20, 2024, in Moldova featured sturdy electoral competition, with multiple candidates and political parties participating. The voting remained competitive, but certain organizational and legal shortcomings affected the process.
Experts from Promo-LEX identified legal challenges in registering electoral competitors. The Central Electoral Commission (CEC) rejected some initiative groups for reasons not specified in the Electoral Code, such as a candidate’s lack of proficiency in the Romanian language or their affiliation with another political party.
A sensitive issue involved the participation of incumbent President Maia Sandu, who ran for re-election as the candidate of the Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS). Concerns arose regarding the impartiality of the electoral process and the use of administrative resources in her campaign, as no clear separation existed between her official duties and her role as a candidate. Promo-LEX recommended specific regulations to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure equal opportunities for all candidates.
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The referendum process restricted active participation exclusively to political parties and electoral blocs, contradicting international democratic inclusion principles. Promo-LEX suggested broadening participation to include civil society groups and non-governmental organizations.
Observers noted the involvement of unregistered actors in both the presidential election and the referendum. Some referendum participants actively engaged in the presidential campaign despite unclear legal provisions.
The 2024 elections introduced several new measures, including revised rules for establishing polling stations abroad, electoral organization in the Transnistrian region, and the partial implementation of postal voting. Authorities set up 234 polling stations outside Moldova, relying on previous voter participation, pre-registrations, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs data. However, in Russia—where many Moldovan citizens reside—authorities opened only two polling stations instead of the five initially approved by the CEC. Unique polling stations allowed residents of the breakaway region to vote. While no major incidents occurred, observers reported issues related to voter transportation and political influence.
For the first time, Moldova introduced postal voting, offering an alternative for diaspora voters. However, this method remained available for fewer citizens in select countries.
Authorities failed to ensure the accessibility of polling stations for individuals with special needs. 54% of constituency offices and 66% of polling stations remained inaccessible, restricting voting rights for disabled voters. Election staff did not always guarantee the secrecy of the vote, and some voters received assistance from institutional employees.
Promo-LEX recommended particular regulations on voter assistance to maintain electoral integrity. Despite an increase of 14,000 registered voters compared to 2020, errors such as incorrect addresses and deceased persons appearing on voter rolls persisted.
To improve future elections, Promo-LEX proposed several key measures: separate the duties of the incumbent president from their role as a candidate to prevent abuses, enhance accessibility for all voters, including individuals with special needs, and ensure fair election monitoring, free from undue pressure on independent observers. The final report by Promo-LEX, presented at the 2025 Electoral Forum, provides further details on these findings and recommendations.