Sebastian Schäffer for Fair Observer on Moldova’s future path towards the EU

In a recent interview for Fair Observer, Sebastian Schäffer, IDM Director, discussed the significance of the latest parliamentary elections in Moldova, where the pro-European PAS party came out on top with an absolute majority. After these elections, one key question remains: Will Moldova join the EU?

While the victory of PAS seems promising for Moldova’s path toward the European Union, Schäffer points out that many obstacles remain.  The country is particularly marked by a polarisation between pro-Eastern and pro-Western factions, a division inherited from its past in the USSR. He emphasized the role of Transnistria, a region with its own identity, closely tied to Russia both culturally and economically, and which therefore serves as a strategic foothold for Russian meddling. Moreover, this issue is even more pronounced in Gagauzia, an autonomous region of Moldova where the Patriotic Bloc won 80% of the vote in the September parliamentary elections.

Moldova must therefore continue to take action to preserve democracy by combating disinformation, corruption and foreign interference. Finally, Schäffer stresses that some Member States do not seem willing to accept new members, and the ratification stage by the 27 could be an obstacle in the future.

You can find the full interview here: Moldova’s Pro-EU Party Wins Pivotal Election: Turning Point or Trouble Ahead? | FO° Talks – YouTube