Moldova’s President Maia Sandu is starting her second term in office. This comes at a difficult time for the country.
Russia has been interfering with Moldova‘s domestic affairs, and they do not recognize Sandu as the president of Moldova. The energy crisis, which was caused by years of relying on Russian gas, is also affecting the country.
The US support for Ukraine is also uncertain under the new administration, leaving Moldova in a precarious position.
Sandu’s term will be filled with diplomatic challenges and little room for error. She has to deal with Russia’s attempts to steal elections and influence votes.
In the past election, a network of 140,000 people received payments from Russia in exchange for voting against the EU during a referendum. The police found out about this scheme and said it was coordinated by fugitive oligarch Ilan Shor and Moscow.
Analysts say that Sandu’s priority should be to help her governing party win the parliamentary elections. They also warn that Russia will try to take revenge in the next elections.
To secure a genuinely pro-European parliament, there is a general consensus that Sandu and her government need to make major changes. They have to start working with citizens and address their concerns about corruption and economic stagnation.
The journalist Mariana Rață says that Moldova needs to speed up the vetting process and give the Anti-Corruption Prosecution the headquarters they have been asking for. She also recommends giving good messages to good people in the system, and replacing those who are not doing their job.
If Moldova ends up with a pro-Russian majority in the next parliament, it could lead to military repercussions. The country has been protected by Ukraine and Romania so far.
Sandu’s attention will be spread between fixing problems at home and carefully navigating diplomatic efforts to maintain support from Ukraine and the West. This includes dealing with the impact of Donald Trump‘s election as the US president on Moldova’s standing in the world.
Some analysts believe that Trump’s anti-Ukraine rhetoric could lead to reduced financial aid for Moldova or a decrease in human rights concerns. However, they also note that Trump has taken anti-Kremlin measures in the past, and is unpredictable.
Overall, Sandu faces many challenges ahead of her, including dealing with Russia’s interference, addressing corruption and economic stagnation, and navigating diplomatic efforts to maintain support from Ukraine and the West.