Maia Sandu has begun her second mandate as president of the Republic of Moldova, which she obtained following the autumn election. Sandu was sworn in during a solemn joint session of the Parliament and the Constitutional Court. In her inauguration speech, she said that she receives her second mandate “first and foremost with humility and determination” and that her legacy should be “Moldova in the European Union”. The president warned, however, that European integration should not be seen as a “business class ticket to paradise”. Maia Sandu took stock of the achievements of her first mandate and highlighted that the Republic of Moldova has managed to become more energy-independent and respected by Western leaders. The head of state urged Moldovan society to mobilize with a view to ensuring Moldova’s EU accession. The Republic of Moldova is viewed with respect by Western leaders due to the achievements of her previous term, Maia Sandu added:
“Moldova is more respected now than ever. The world looks at us with love and interest and supports us in our dream. The rest is up to us. We have begun to free ourselves from energy reliance. Even if prices are still high, no one can hold us back. We have managed to open the door wide to the EU, which is no small thing as a national priority. There is still much to do, but the path we are on is the right one. I urge you to move forward with confidence.”
The president stated that, during her second term, she will continue to insist on implementing justice reforms, which she said, have been “delayed for decades.” “The government will have in me a serious and dedicated partner, but also a harsh critic in case of underperformance”, Maia Sandu added. Romania and the Republic of Moldova will continue to work together to achieve welfare, stability, European values, resilience and democracy, Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis said in turn, congratulating his Moldovan counterpart on her second term. Maia Sandu is the first female head of state and the sixth president of the Republic of Moldova. She obtained her second term as president by direct vote – a premier for Moldovan politics – following the second round of the presidential election on November 3. Sandu won the election mainly thanks to the vote abroad, grabbing 940,000 votes, while her opponent supported by the Socialists, Alexandr Stoianoglo, obtained just over 750,000 votes. Although she won the election overall, President Sandu narrowly lost in the country’s precincts to Stoianoglo, a former prosecutor general. A national referendum was held on the same day as the election regarding the inclusion of the country’s strategic objective of EU integration in the Constitution, which passed with a score of 51.4%. 2024 was an important year for the Republic of Moldova, when the country consolidated its pro-European course as a result of the referendum and presidential election, but also highlighted once again the deep polarization of society. Both elections ended with borderline scores. During the campaign, the authorities and civil society documented a series of actions of interference from Russia, which triggered a genuine hybrid war, concerted and financed by the group of Ilan Shor, the Moldovan oligarch who fled to Moscow to elude a prison sentence. Moldovan authorities uncovered several schemes for organizing and buying votes, as well as genuine smear and disinformation campaigns. (VP)
