Maia Sandu – ostBLOG

By Petru Negura

The Party of Action and Solidarity won the early parliamentary elections in the Republic of Moldova on July 11, 2021, by 52.80%, far ahead of its main electoral competitor, the Bloc of Socialists and Communists (27.17%), and the Shor Political Party (5.74%). It is the first time in the history of Moldova that a right-wing or center-right party wins a majority in Parliament on its own. The key messages the PAS – and before it, Maia Sandu, the former president of the party and current President of Moldova – focused on were fighting corruption and expanding the rule of law. To truly bring about change, the new government now needs broad support from society to promote justice reforms and strengthening state institutions.

The first woman president of Moldova: an overwhelming yet fragile victory

By Petru Negura

The victory of Maia Sandu in the November 2020 presidential elections is a remarkable political event for the Republic of Moldova and the CIS countries for several reasons. The legitimacy of this victory is indisputable. Maia Sandu, a graduate of Harvard University and former adviser to the director of the World Bank in Washington D.C., defeated her opponent Igor Dodon, the leader of the Socialist Party, by over 15 percentage points (57.72% compared to 42.28%). Sandu secured a bigger share of the vote than any other candidate in the history of elections in Moldova since 1991. She is the first politician in Moldova to win elections with a platform focused exclusively on the fight against corruption and for the rule of law. Last but not least, Maia Sandu is the first woman to win in a close and unequal fight with her male opponents, primarily with the incumbent President Igor Dodon. She thus becomes the first female president of the Republic of Moldova and is, for now, the only woman president in the CIS space.