New Research Shows Moldovans Are Change-Oriented and Want Results

In the lead up to next month’s local elections, Moldovans are deeply dissatisfied with the performance of parties across the political spectrum. According to an NDI public opinion survey conducted in March, Moldovans are frustrated that they receive little information, much less solutions to their problems, from parties and government.

The June vote comes at a time of significant disruption in Moldova and renewed tensions between Russia and the West. In parliamentary elections last November, parties that claimed to be pro-democratic and pro-European lost their long-standing parliamentary majority. As a result, many see the local elections as a bellwether of Moldova’s future.

Moldovans believe their lives have gotten worse over the past year. Unemployment, poverty, low salaries and their devalued currency are cited as the primary problems of most households.  However, unlike in previous polls, corruption is considered the most pressing problem facing the country, another indication of growing anger at unaccountable elected officials.

On the local level, voters want improvements in infrastructure, such as roads, street lighting and sanitation services. These key issues will be very important in the June local election campaigns when voters will want to hear candidates talk about their parties’ results on issues of importance, such as the economy and fighting corruption, and show an ability to listen. Moldovans also say they want to see more women and youth participate in politics.

On the international front, Moldovans are ambivalent about relationships with  Europe and Russia. For example, they are evenly split on whether they would vote for joining the European Union or the Eurasian Customs Union. However, support for the government taking a pro-Russia position is the lowest it has been over the last two years. Many Moldovans do not know where the government stands on this key issue -- a sign of both an information vacuum and the tensions within the fragile coalition government. The parties making up the current governing coalition ran on pro-European platforms, but they have since announced that they  are “slowing down the European agenda.”

For results of the poll, which was conducted by Lake Research Partners and IMAS with NDI support, please see here.