The Council of Europe launched the third edition of the anti-discrimination campaign in partnership with the Central Electoral Commission of the Republic of Moldova and UN Women, with support from the European Union. The event gathered over 60 participants representing national and local authorities, political parties, the media, and civil society. Organizers aimed to address together the necessary measures to combat hate speech, sexism, and gender-based intolerance, based on the lessons learned during the 2024 presidential elections and the EU-related referendum.
Falk LANGE, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Chisinau, opened the roundtable and emphasized: “The Council of Europe’s commitment to democratic values aligns with the support for creating an electoral environment free from discrimination and harmful rhetoric, especially in the context of electoral campaigns. In this sense, through this event, we aim to increase the level of understanding of the issue of hate speech, sexist speech, and other forms of gender-based violence, and to prevent this phenomenon in the upcoming parliamentary election campaign.”
Janis MAZEIKS, the EU Ambassador to the Republic of Moldova, stated: “Hate speech and sexist rhetoric not only profoundly affect the targeted individuals – especially women and members of vulnerable groups – but also undermine public trust in democratic institutions and poison the political debate climate. That is why I’m a bit worried to see almost only women at today’s discussion; frankly speaking, those who use sexist speech are, most often, not women. Elections represent the cornerstone of democracy, where citizens must express themselves freely, fairly, and without fear. Nevertheless, we recognize that hate, discrimination, and sexism undermine this essential process when they enter the public space. Today’s roundtable is more than a simple discussion. It is a collective commitment to act. By bringing together decision-makers from Moldova, civil society, and the media, we create the necessary conditions for meaningful progress.”
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Angelica CARAMAN, President of the Central Electoral Commission of the Republic of Moldova, added: “Combating hate speech and sexism in electoral campaigns – a topic that represents an indicator, a litmus test for the maturity of democracy in the Republic of Moldova. Today’s event is part of a broader effort – a synergy effort of unity between institutions, political parties, civil society, the media, and citizens. Because only together can we change the rules of the political game and the culture in which this game unfolds.”
Participants focused their discussions on the results and trends observed while monitoring hate speech and sexism in audiovisual and online media during the 2024 electoral period. They also addressed local-level efforts to prevent and combat sexism through storytelling, measures to prevent gender-based violence against electoral candidates and local officials, and the legal initiatives expected to address these issues.
At the end of the event, participants agreed to continue cooperating and uniting efforts to combat hate speech, sexism, and any other form of discrimination, ensuring equal rights for all, especially in the context of the upcoming parliamentary elections on 28 September 2025 in the Republic of Moldova.
The Council of Europe and UN Women Moldova organized this event with the Central Electoral Commission of the Republic of Moldova. The roundtable formed part of a joint initiative under the CoE project “Improving electoral practices in the Republic of Moldova, 2025–2028,” the EU/CoE project “Combating discrimination, hate speech and hate crimes in the Republic of Moldova” (part of the EU–Council of Europe Joint Programme Partnership for Good Governance), the CoE Congress project “Strengthening the culture of dialogue and open, ethical local governance in the Republic of Moldova,” and the CoE project “Support for the implementation of the Istanbul Convention in the Republic of Moldova – Phase II.”