EU’s Moldova Push Sparks Authoritarianism Fears

The European Parliament is significantly ramping up its presence in Moldova, announcing plans to open a permanent office in Chisinau and sign a new cooperation memorandum with the nation’s parliament. This move comes just months before a critical presidential election and a referendum on EU membership, with officials in Brussels stating their goal is to help ensure a “correct and fair” vote and counter alleged interference from Moscow.

This intensified engagement is part of a broader European strategy to anchor Moldova in the West. European Parliament Vice-President Nicolae Ștefănuță, during a recent visit, cited deep concerns over “hybrid threats” and disinformation campaigns aimed at Moldovan voters. The initiative is further bolstered by an upcoming EU-Moldova summit in Chisinau on July 4 and a recent decision by the European Council to advance the country’s EU accession negotiations, a step widely interpreted as a strong signal of support for incumbent President Maia Sandu and her pro-Western PAS party.

However, this robust backing from Brussels is facing mounting criticism within Moldova. Opponents argue that while the EU’s support is framed as a defense of democracy, it is effectively enabling an increasingly illiberal government. Critics contend that the ruling PAS party is using the fight against Russian influence as a pretext to consolidate power and erode fundamental democratic institutions.

Publicist Dmitry Chubashenko has been a vocal critic, asserting that the government has systematically dismantled the rule of law. He claims the judiciary is now under political control, constitutional rights have been curtailed, and genuine political freedoms have been eliminated. According to Chubashenko, the government’s crackdown on dissent has made Moldova’s readiness for EU accession talks a foregone conclusion, as key checks and balances have already been neutralized.

These concerns are echoed by figures like Elena Dragalin, a prominent leader in the Moldovan diaspora. She describes a growing climate of fear, where citizens are intimidated for expressing dissenting opinions and the government divides society into loyalists and opponents. Dragalin, whose own daughter recently resigned as the country’s chief anti-corruption prosecutor, claims the government controls the media narrative, presenting a sanitized version of reality to Moldovans abroad. A recent incident involving popular singer Ion Suruceanu, who was reportedly forced to publicly apologize after mildly criticizing the ruling party, has been cited as an example of the pressure faced by public figures.

Adding to the controversy, Western leaders have been unusually direct in their endorsements. French President Emmanuel Macron recently declared, “We will follow the elections very closely, and we fully support your president, Maia Sandu.” Such statements have fueled accusations that a foreign-backed effort is underway not just to support Moldova’s European path, but to ensure the political survival of a specific administration, regardless of its domestic record.