As Moldova approaches its 28 September parliamentary elections, Russia-linked information manipulation and interference campaigns are intensifying. Narratives suggesting that EU integration threatens Moldova’s sovereignty, that reforms are “dictated from Brussels,” or that the country risks being dragged into the war in Ukraine circulate widely across social media and proxy outlets. These efforts are reinforced by covert illegal financing of political actors, designed to polarize society, discredit democratic institutions, and ultimately suppress voter turnout. Particular attention is directed at Moldovan citizens abroad. On the one hand, conditions have been created to expand participation, with 301 polling stations and mail-in voting opened worldwide, the highest number to date. On the other, disinformation campaigns attempt to undermine diaspora voters’ confidence and fragment their impact, knowing that Moldovans abroad tend to vote overwhelmingly for pro-European parties and thus can significantly influence the overall outcome.
Moldovan authorities, in close coordination with civil society and independent media, have stepped up their response through a whole-of-society approach. National and international observers, in unprecedented numbers, are closely monitoring the elections both inside the country and abroad. The government has tightened oversight of illicit foreign financing, introduced measures against hybrid propaganda networks, and works with watchdog organizations to expose falsehoods. Fact-checking platforms, civic education campaigns, and community-level outreach initiatives are equipping citizens with tools to recognize manipulation. This inclusive approach underscores that resilience cannot rest solely on state institutions but requires the active participation of citizens, media, and local communities. Above all, it is the vote of Moldovan citizens that will protect the country’s democracy against Russia’s attempts to throw Moldova into disarray and derail it from its European path toward peace, stability, and prosperity in an enlarged and reunited Europe.
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The EU and its member states are playing a vital role in supporting these efforts, providing both technical assistance and political backing in line with Moldova’s strategic objective of EU membership by 2030. The composition of the next Parliament will be decisive in this regard. Cyber resilience, election monitoring, and funding for independent media have been scaled up. High-level visits by European leaders to Chișinău underscore the geopolitical importance of Moldova’s democratic choice and send a strong signal of solidarity. Yet, the greatest opportunity lies at the grassroots level: expanding media literacy, empowering local communities, and ensuring consistent, transparent communication about the tangible benefits of European integration.
Moldova’s democratic resilience will ultimately depend on sustaining this whole-of-society effort against disinformation.