Moldova schedules presidential elections and pro-EU referendum on October 20

The presidential elections in the Republic of Moldova and the referendum on the country's accession to the European Union (EU), initiated by the head of state, Maia Sandu, will be organized on the same day on October 20, 2024, the Parliament speaker Igor Grosu announced on April 18.

The Constitutional Court approved on the same day the decision to amend the Constitution through a public referendum, formally initiated by president Sandu's party, PAS, G4media.ro reported.

Both votes, for the president and the country's EU membership, are critical for the country's future development, in a country where pro-Russian parties and presidential candidates still enjoy relevant support among voters.

The timing of the two ballots is essential. While the general elections are expected to generate a complicated political situation next year, president Maia Sandu enjoys strong support, and the expected high turnout at the presidential elections may help the validation of the referendum (which needs the support of the majority of registered voters).

President Sandu has conducted extensive visits throughout the country, even in the pro-Russian region Gagauzia, in recent weeks to meet the electorate – a significant improvement in the president's strategy that has focused on international relationships so far. The sluggish and ambiguous justice reforms and the complicated economic situation have mostly damaged the support for the ruling party, PAS, but may dent the president's credibility as well.

The latest poll, carried out by CBS Research, however, reveals robust support for the ruling party in Moldova.

The poll, commissioned by WatchDog and published on April 16 in Chisinau, shows that in the referendum on joining the European Union, 56.5% of voters would vote for it while only 25.2% would be against it. The turnout is thus critical for the validation of the referendum.

In the case of the presidential elections, president Maia Sandu leads by far (with 35.1% of those polled) her main challenger, the former pro-Russian president Igor Dodon (15.8%). Not all recent polls are so positive, though.

If parliamentary elections were held next Sunday, four parties have a high chance of passing the electoral threshold - PAS (the current pro-European ruling party) with 41.6% of the votes, PSRM (Dodon's party) with 22.6%, Chance (party behind which is the fugitive pro-Russian oligarch Ilan Shor) with 8.5%, and PCRM (communists of former president Vladimir Voronin), rated with 6.8%. Again, the poll indicated among the highest scores for the pro-EU party PAS.