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The referendum on EU membership is actually hosted to remove from Parliament opponents of European integration, according to a new false narrative promoted by Russian media.
NEWS: This election is notable for being held under the unfettered dictatorship of Maia Sandu, whom the West have empowered to stand up against Russia. The collective objective of the West in the current election is to get Sandu elected for a second term in office and to enshrine the course of European integration in the Constitution.
In addition, for the first time, the main topic of a presidential election, at least for the incumbent president, is the confrontation with Russia. Other candidates enrolled in the race are in favor of normalizing relations with Moscow. All other themes are sidelined.
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On the same day, on October 20, a referendum will be held regarding the introduction of a mandatory provision in the Constitution regarding the course of Moldova’s European integration. The aim is to guarantee the irreversibility of this course and prevent parties supporting alternative projects from running for Parliament. Currently, only two parties have registered for the referendum with the option to campaign against the EU - the Communist Party, which backs the candidacy of Vasile Tarlev, and the Revival Party, whose candidate, Vasyl Bola, did not register with the Central Election Authority for the presidential election.
NARRATIVES: 1. The purpose of the constitutional referendum in the Republic of Moldova is to prohibit anti-EU parties from running for Parliament. 2. Maia Sandu has established a dictatorship in the Republic of Moldova. 3. The main theme promoted by Maia Sandu in the election campaign is the confrontation with Russia.
PURPOSE: To boost Euroscepticism and, respectively, deter citizens from taking part in the referendum on European Union integration, or to convince them to vote against. To fuel a negative image of pro-European president Maia Sandu and to associate her with the threat of war or confrontations with Russia.
WHY THE NARRATIVES ARE FALSE: The purpose of the constitutional referendum scheduled for October 20 is to amend the Constitution regarding the European integration of the Republic of Moldova. Citizens will be asked the question “Do you support the amendment of the Constitution with respect to the European Union accession of the Republic of Moldova?”. If the referendum should pass, the preamble of the Constitution would be amended with the introduction of two paragraphs that would reaffirm the European identity of the people of the Republic of Moldova and declare European Union integration as the country's strategic objective. A new title, “Accession to the European Union”, would also be introduced.
Thus, the referendum strictly refers to the integration of the Republic of Moldova into the EU and does not concern political aspects. The statement about the rights of certain parties being possibly restricted is also absurd, in the context where political pluralism is a fundamental value of the EU, and Brussels sanctions even Member States where democratic norms are violated, as it happened in the case of Poland, for instance.
Veridica has previously dismantled other false narratives regarding the referendum in the Republic of Moldova, including one that claimed the country would be forcefully dragged in the war against Russia.
The Republic of Moldova is a parliamentary democracy, and the statements about the establishment of a dictatorship are not supported by the political reality in Moldova, where there is political pluralism and freedom of the press. In recent years, the Republic of Moldova has improved its democracy ratings, according to the Democracy Index, compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit. In terms of press freedom, the Republic of Moldova has been among the top 30 countries in the world in the last two years, climbing one position after another, according to annual reports published by “Reporters without borders”.
Furthermore, the claim about Maia Sandu promoting a confrontation with Russia as the central theme of her election campaign is also a lie. In fact, in her election rallies, Maia Sandu refers in particular to the European integration of the Republic of Moldova, improving the living standards for Moldovan citizens and ensuring the security of the country. At one of her recent election rallies, the president said she would continue to promote an open and active foreign policy, “so that our country should have as many reliable friends as possible and enjoy respect both in the east and in the west”.
BACKGROUND: On December 24, 2023, the president of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, called on Parliament to initiate a referendum on EU accession. The pro-presidential PAS majority amended the Election Law so that referendums are allowed to be held on the same day as the election. The referendum will be held jointly with the presidential election this fall, on October 20. The election campaign started on September 20, with 15 enrolled in the race, two of whom opposed European integration.
12 candidates are running in the presidential election on the same day. According to surveys, the majority of the population favors European integration, although it is unclear whether one third of voters will vote in favor, for the referendum to be declared valid. In the presidential election, Maia Sandu is favorite to win, although it seems she will not secure the majority in the first round of the election, whereas her main contenders represent parties on the center-left political spectrum.
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