2023 Moldovan local elections
{{Short description|none}}
{{Update|date=November 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Politics of Moldova}}
Local elections were held in Moldova on 5 November 2023, with a runoff round for mayors held two weeks after the first round on 19 November 2023.{{cite web|title=The date of the local elections in 2023 was set|url=https://radiomoldova.md/p/2228|access-date=2023-03-28|website=radiomoldova.md|date=27 December 2022 |language=en}} The main electoral contenders were:
- The incumbent government, the pro-European, Atlanticist, centre-right, and liberal Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS).
- Opposition from the left-wing and pro-Russian Bloc of Communists and Socialists (BECS), comprising the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova (PSRM), and Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova (PCRM).
The elections were organized by the incumbent Recean Cabinet. Overall, the PAS won the most votes in the elections.
Last local election
{{Main|2019 Moldovan local elections}}
In 2019, the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova (PSRM) won 17 out of 32 administrative districts, as per the electoral results of the previous Moldovan local elections, which were held in 2019.
Following that 2019 election, the Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) controlled a single district, won as part of the ACUM political alliance with the Dignity and Truth Platform (PPDA), the Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova (PLDM), and the National Unity Party (PUN).
Background
In 2021, government began considering reform of administrative districts.{{cite news|last1=Botnaru|first1=Vasile|last2=Boțan|first2=Igor|date=2021-11-29|title=Igor Boțan: Reforma teritorial-administrativă este presantă, dar mereu amânată|language=ro|work=Radio Europa Liberă|url=https://moldova.europalibera.org/a/igor-boțan-reforma-teritorial-administrativă-este-presantă-dar-mereu-amânată/31585119.html|access-date=2023-04-24}} Former Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilița (PAS) announced in 2023 that fundamental local government reform would not take place until the elections, but that "voluntary amalgamation" could be implemented, i.e. the voluntary union of several administrative-territorial units.{{cite web|title=Natalia Gavrilița: Ar fi bine ca amalgamarea voluntară să aibă loc până la alegeri|url=https://radiochisinau.md/natalia-gavrilita-ar-fi-bine-ca-amalgamarea-voluntara-sa-aiba-loc-pana-la-alegeri---174185.html|access-date=2023-04-24|website=Radio Chișinău |language=ro-RO}}
In February 2023, there were allegations of a coup in Moldova.{{cite news |last=Rankin |first=Jennifer |date=2023-02-13 |title=Moldova president accuses Russia of plotting to oust pro-EU government |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/13/moldova-president-maia-sandu-accuses-russia-of-plotting-to-oust-pro-eu-government |access-date=2023-03-28 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}
On 19 June 2023, the Șor Party was declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court of Moldova.{{Cite web |title=Partidul ȘOR, scos în afara legii de Curtea Constituțională de la Chișinău. Formațiunea oligarhului fugar ar fi pus la cale o lovitură de stat |url=https://ziare.com/republica-moldova/republica-moldova-partidul-sor-curtea-constitutionala-1811061 |access-date=2023-06-19 |website=Ziare.com |language=ro}}{{Cite web |date=2023-06-19 |title=Ultima oră! Partidul Șor, declarat neconstituțional de Înalta Curte |url=https://unimedia.info/ro/news/c340c25e978ce8cc/ultima-ora-partidul-sor-declarat-neconstitutional-de-inalta-curte.html |access-date=2023-06-19 |website=UNIMEDIA |language=ro}} Ilan Shor was banned, as were other Șor Party politicians, from standing for election. In August 2023 a new party called “ȘANSĂ”, led by journalist Alexei Lungu, was established.{{cite web |title="ȘANSA" lui Șor s-a mutat în sediul lui Plahotniuc. Un nou partid clonă al oligarhilor fugari |url=https://tvrmoldova.md/article/d46e6e3dbe4a7805/sansa-lui-sor-s-a-mutat-in-sediul-lui-plahotniuc-un-nou-partid-clona-al-oligarhilor-fugari.html |date=8 August 2023}} “ȘANSĂ” was de-registered as a political party two days before the local elections in November amid claims of accepting illegal funds from Russia.{{cn|date=March 2025}} This resulted in a blanket ban on all 8,605 candidates nominated by the party.{{cite web |title=Moldova's elections peaceful and efficient, but marred by sweeping restrictive measures amid national security concerns: international observers |url=https://www.osce.org/odihr/557427 |date=6 November 2023}} Intelligence chief Alexandru Musteață claimed that Russia spent about a billion Moldovan lei (roughly US$55.5 million), routed through Ilan Shor, to overthrow the democratic government and destabilize Moldova, with ȘANSĂ allegedly using around 10% of this sum in the prior two months to bribe voters and illegally finance the political party associated with Shor.{{cite web|title=Moldova spy chief: Russia paid fugitive tycoon $ 55.5 mn to overthrow government|url=https://euromaidanpress.com/2023/11/04/moldova-spy-chief-russia-paid-fugitive-tycoon-55-5-mn-to-overthrow-government/|date=4 November 2023}}
In October, the Information and Security Service of Moldova blocked 22 Russian language websites for dissemination information from an aggressor nation (Russia), followed by the suspension of six TV stations linked to Ilan Shor and Vladimir Plahotniuc.{{cite web |title=Local elections in Moldova: new votes, old disinformation narratives |url=https://euvsdisinfo.eu/local-elections-in-moldova-new-votes-old-disinformation-narratives/ |date=17 November 2023}}
Mayoral results
File:Alegeri locale moldova 2023.png.]]
After the first round of voting and the 273 runoff votes on 19 November:{{cite web|title=Moldova's pro-Western government hails elections despite mayoral losses in capital and key cities|website=Associated Press News |url=https://apnews.com/article/moldova-local-elections-russia-f9406fcf16f5bd63ca5dc0e44eda9470|date=6 November 2023}}{{cite web |title=PAS WINS MAYORAL ELECTIONS IN 291 POPULATED AREAS, WHILE PARTY OF SOCIALISTS – IN 144 |url=https://www.infotag.md/politics-en/312051/ |date=20 November 2023}}
- 898 mayoral positions were contested
- In Chișinău, incumbent mayor Ion Ceban was re-elected
- Bălți went to Alexandr Petkov
| class="wikitable unsortable" |
| style="width:60%;" colspan="2" | Party {{cite web |title=Alegeri locale din 2023 |url=http://alegeri.md/w/Pagina_principală |access-date=23 November 2023}}
! style="width:20%;" | Seats ! style="width:20%;" | % of mayors |
|---|
| style="background:{{party color|Party of Action and Solidarity}};" |
| PAS | 291 | 32.5 |
| style="background:{{party color|Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova}};" |
| PSRM | 144 | 16.1 |
| style="background:{{party color|Independent politician}};" |
| Independents | 116 | 12.9 |
| style="background:{{party color|Party of Development and Consolidation of Moldova}};" |
| PDCM | 48 | 5.3 |
| style="background:{{party color|Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova}};" |
| Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova | 34 | 3.8 |
| style="background:{{party color|Revival Party (Moldova)}};" |
| 27 | 3.0 |
| style="background:{{party color|Dignity and Truth Platform}};" |
| 20 | 2.2 |
| style="background:#0000FF;" |
| Respect Moldova | 19 | 2.1 |
| style="background:{{party color|Our Party (Moldova)}};" |
| 17 | 1.9 |
On 22 November 2023, the Central Election Commission ruled three settlements would hold new elections in May 2024.{{cite web |title=New local elections to be organized in three settlements from south Moldova |url=https://www.moldpres.md/en/news/2023/11/22/23009450 |date=22 November 2023}}
Chișinău Mayor
{{Main|Mayor of Chișinău}}
{{Election results
|cand1=Ion Ceban (incumbent)|party1=National Alternative Movement|votes1=132803
|cand2=Lilian Carp|party2=Party of Action and Solidarity|votes2=74074
|cand3=Adrian Albu|party3=Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova|votes3=11876
|cand4=Victor Chironda|party4=Dignity and Truth Platform|votes4=10011
|cand5=Vasile Bolea|party5=Revival Party|votes5=6334
|cand6=Vasile Costiuc|party6=Democracy at Home Party|votes6=5518
|cand7=Diana Caraman|party7=Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova|votes7=4456
|cand8=Ruslan Codreanu|party8=Ruslan Codreanu Electoral Bloc|votes8=3685|color8=#000000
|cand9=Others|party9=Other parties and independents|votes9=13596|color9={{party color|Independent politician}}
|source=Central Electoral Commission{{Cite web |title=CEC - Rezultatele alegerilor |url=https://rezultate.cec.md/ |access-date=2024-09-11 |website=rezultate.cec.md |language=ro}}
}}
Chișinău City Council
{{Election results
|image=280px
|party1=National Alternative Movement|votes1=85553|seats1=20
|party2=Party of Action and Solidarity|votes2=84615|seats2=20
|party3=Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova|votes3=24816|seats3=6
|party4=Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova|votes4=11465|seats4=2
|party5=Revival Party|votes5=6793|seats5=1
|party6=Dignity and Truth Platform|votes6=6583|seats6=1
|party7=Our Party|votes7=4429|seats7=1
|party8=Democracy at Home Party|votes8=3583|seats8=0
|party9=Ruslan Codreanu Electoral Bloc|votes9=3454|seats9=0|color9=#000000
|party10=Party of Development and Consolidation of Moldova|votes10=3122|seats10=0
|party11=Coalition for Unity and Well-being|votes11=2415|seats11=0|color11=#503085
|party12=Change|votes12=1961|seats12=0|color12=#0A62AA
|party13=Home Building Europe Party "PACE"|votes13=1865|seats13=0|color13=#363789
|party14=Respect Moldova|votes14=1758|seats14=0|color14=#0000FF
|party15=For People, Nature and Animals|votes15=1620|seats15=0|color15=#28B3A7
|party16=Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova|votes16=1539|seats16=0
|party17=European Social Democratic Party|votes17=1505|seats17=0
|party18=Liberal Party|votes18=783|seats18=0
|party19=Common Action Party – Civil Congress|votes19=693|seats19=0
|party20=National Moldavian Party|votes20=623|seats20=0|color20=#074AA8
|party21=People's Will|votes21=617|seats21=0|color21=#6DAACB
|party22=Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe|votes22=580|seats22=0
|party23=Movement of Professionals "Speranța-Надежда"|votes23=501|seats23=0|color23=#075C07
|party24=Alternative and Salvation Force of Moldova|votes24=472|seats24=0|color24=#08A450
|party25=Patriots of Moldova|votes25=441|seats25=0|color25=#C41A11
|party26=National Liberal Party|votes26=365|seats26=0
|party27=Ecologist Green Party|votes27=334|seats27=0
|party28=League of Cities and Communes|votes28=276|seats28=0|color28=#494C96
|party29=NOI|votes29=218|seats29=0|color29=#189FB3
|party30=Independents|votes30=4328|seats30=0
|source=Central Electoral Commission{{Cite web |title=CEC - Rezultatele alegerilor |url=https://rezultate.cec.md/ |access-date=2024-09-11 |website=rezultate.cec.md |language=ro}}
}}
External observers
The Central Election Commission of Moldova accredited 401 international observers for the election.{{cite web |title=Russian OSCE observers not accredited by Moldova: Russia is outraged |url=https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/11/1/7426656/ |date=1 November 2023}} The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) was an observer organization, with 264 observers from 36 countries. Their opinion on the election was that: "The elections were calm and efficiently managed with candidates mostly able to campaign freely, but the broad powers of the government commission for exceptional situations were used to restrict freedom of speech and association as well as the right to stand, while interference from abroad and widespread allegations of vote buying throughout the campaign were of concern".
The 5 November local elections were peaceful and managed efficiently, reported OSCE, but noted that interference from abroad and restrictive measures imposed due to national security concerns had a negative impact on the process.{{cite web |title=INTERNATIONAL ELECTION OBSERVATION MISSION Republic of Moldova – Local Elections, 5 November 2023 |url=https://www.osce.org/files/f/documents/d/2/557406.pdf |access-date=6 December 2023}} Observers noted credible, persistent, and widespread allegations of the use of illegal funds for vote buying, linked to the leader of the dissolved Șor Party, and the use of foreign private sponsorship to fund local infrastructure projects in some districts, to gain votes.
Post-election events
An appeal to the Chișinău Court of Appeal after the local elections by the Chance party in December 2023 led to a reversal of the ban of 600 candidates removed from the November ballot.{{cite web |title=A Moldovan court annuls a ban on an alleged pro-Russia party that removed it from local elections |url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/moldovan-court-annuls-ban-alleged-pro-russia-party-105579097 |date=12 December 2023}} This lifting of the ban was reversed on 4 October 2023 by the Exceptional Situations Committee, which stated that any former member of the Șor party who had been charged, indicted, or under suspicion of committing criminal acts would be banned from participating in the elections.{{cite news |title=Moldova Takes Further Steps To Ban Members Of Pro-Russian Party From Local Polls |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/moldova-ban-elections-shor-party-constitutional-court/32622703.html |website=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |access-date=5 October 2023 |language=en}} The bans on 21 candidates were amended on 4 October 2023 to a prohibition on running for three years.{{cite web |title=INTERNATIONAL ELECTION OBSERVATION MISSION Republic of Moldova – Local Elections, 5 November 2023 |url=https://www.osce.org/files/f/documents/d/2/557406.pdf |access-date=6 December 2023}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Moldovan elections}}