A record number of almost 160 thousand Romanian citizens in the Republic of Moldova participated in the Romanian presidential election. 88% of them voted for Nicușor Dan, according to PEA data. Leaders in Chișinău have sent congratulatory messages to Nicușor Dan and highlighted the strong support of the Moldovans with Romanian citizenship and the commitment to a common European future.
While politicians in Chisinau have noted the deep ties between the two Romanian states, experts also see the vote as a sign of Moldovans' concern for their own security and interest in maintaining their country's European path.
Maia Sandu: "We walk together, with confidence, on the European path!"
The President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, congratulated Nicușor Dan on his election as President of Romania. “Congratulations, Romania! Congratulations, Nicușor Dan! Romania, we walk together, with confidence, on the European path! The Republic of Moldova and Romania rely on each other – both in good times and in bad,” Maia Sandu wrote in a message. She praised “Moldovan citizens’ impressive participation in the elections,” demonstrating that they are “a strong voice for freedom and democracy! The whole world can see how strong we are when we are united!”
Prime Minister Dorin Recean praised the vote cast by the Moldovans with Romanian citizenship as one “for a European future, in peace and freedom”. Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu saw the record turnout of the Moldovans with dual citizenship as “a sign of civic involvement and of the deep connection between the two banks of the Prut. Our heart beats with great love for the Romanian nation, for the common European future of citizens on both banks of the Prut”.
Expert: "a manifestation of national consciousness" and "a vote for one's own security"
The exemplary mobilization shown by Romanians in the Republic of Moldova for the Romanian presidential elections shows that "the Romanian component of Moldovan society is very active and demonstrates a will to manifest itself in the political life of Romania," political analyst Anatol Țăranu told Veridica. "This means that Romania is increasingly perceived as the homeland of Romanians in the Republic of Moldova. This is a manifestation of national consciousness that cannot be ignored," says the analyst. "The will of the Romanian electorate in the Republic of Moldova will also manifest itself domestically, on the Moldovan political scene. It is expected that this vote, which was massively manifested in Romania’s presidential elections, will be repeated in the parliamentary elections this fall."
Anatol Țăranu believes that the vote of the Romanians in the Republic of Moldova is also part of the logic of strengthening the security of the state, which is vulnerable to Russian threats: "Of course, the fact that the new president is a person who fully shares European ideals and who is in favor of helping Ukraine in this war it is waging against the aggressor Russian Federation is a gratifying one not only for Ukraine, but also for the entire European community. We must consider the fact that Nicușor Dan's opponent was a character who advocated for the interruption of Romania's aid to Ukraine, and this meant rendering the Republic of Moldova more vulnerable. It is known that if Ukraine does not make it, the next target of Russia’s aggression will certainly be the Republic of Moldova. From this point of view, the fact that the Romanians in the Republic of Moldova voted for Nicușor Dan make absolute sense and is perfectly part of what it means strengthening the resilience of the Republic of Moldova, the capacity to resist the Russian aggression. For us, it is important that Ukraine resists and it is clear why the voters in the Republic of Moldova have supported a candidate who comes to help Ukraine, and not contribute to its downfall," Anatol Țăranu explained.
The massive vote for Nicușor Dan shows how much Moldovans want their own country to maintain its European course
Romanian citizens in the Republic of Moldova voted for their security and for maintaining the country's European course, says Alexandru Tănase, former president of the Constitutional Court during the period in which it laid the legal foundations for defining the Romanian language as the official language of the Republic of Moldova.
"The vote very clearly explains the sensitivities of the voter in the Republic of Moldova, in terms of ensuring their own security, Tănase also stated for Veridica. While in Western Europe and even in Romania, the talks about war and security are of a more theoretical nature, we are on the border of war. When politicians appeared who began to flirt with the Russian Federation, when messages appeared that questioned the need to resist the Russian military aggression in Ukraine, the voters in the Republic of Moldova felt very clearly the risks, which led them to mobilize in an unprecedented manner, so that almost 140 thousand people voted in these elections to secure their current situation, to make sure that we, in the republic of Moldova, would not find ourselves at a certain point in time without such an important ally as Bucharest."
The vote of the citizens of the Republic of Moldova once again demonstrated their attachment to European values, says Alexandru Tănase. "The elections in Romania were followed by all European chancelleries. In this sense, the clear, pro-European vote of the citizens of the Republic of Moldova sent an additional message that we, those who live in this country, are deeply attached to European values and know how to distinguish between values and populism, between politicking and genuine political messages that must lead to the development of the country. In this sense, without a doubt, the Republic of Moldova came out with a considerable image boost."
