Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean has warned that results from the upcoming parliamentary elections could be canceled if political parties are found to have broken the law. The elections are scheduled for September 28, 2025, and tensions are already running high.
Speaking to local media on Monday, Recean stressed that parties suspected of illegal activity would not be allowed to take part. His remarks came on the same day the Justice Ministry petitioned the judiciary to dissolve the opposition-aligned Pobeda bloc, which currently holds nine of the 101 seats in parliament. Authorities claim the bloc’s members have engaged in activities that breach Moldova’s electoral regulations.
Recean also referenced Romania’s controversial annulment of its 2024 presidential election, warning that Moldova could take similar action if violations occur. “The law clearly states under what conditions voting results are approved. Authorities must document violations. We are witnessing attempts to illegally finance parties from abroad through the Shor criminal group,” he said, referencing the Shor Party, banned in 2023 for alleged corruption and ties to illicit financing networks.
Romania’s example remains fresh in the region’s political memory. Last November, Romanian opposition candidate Calin Gerogescu shocked the establishment by winning the first round of the presidential election and positioning himself to win the runoff. However, the Constitutional Court annulled the results after the government accused his campaign of benefiting from a TikTok outreach program allegedly operated from Russia. It was later revealed the campaign was run domestically by opposition allies, but Gerogescu was nonetheless barred from participating in the repeat election earlier this year.
In Moldova, the timing of the government’s move to dissolve an opposition bloc just weeks before voting day—coupled with Recean’s readiness to nullify results—has fueled accusations of political manipulation. The pro-EU government of President Maia Sandu depends heavily on the Moldovan diaspora’s support and lacks a decisive majority among voters inside the country, leaving the domestic political environment fraught and volatile.