From Cyberspace to the Ballot Box: Europe supports Moldovan democracy

Translated by Beatrice Cherubini

On June 11, the Moldovan capital Chișinău was the setting for a simulated cyberattack involving multiple sectors, conducted by Moldovan authorities in cooperation with their European counterparts. The exercise was carried out ahead of Moldova's parliamentary elections scheduled for September, which, as was the case with the 2024 presidential elections, are at risk of becoming a target of Russian disinformation campaigns.

The stress test on Moldova’s digital infrastructure was conducted to enhance the resilience of local authorities in responding to potential cyberattacks. Cooperation with the EU Hybrid Threats Rapid Response Teams was made possible thanks to the agreements reached in May between Doina Nistor, a Moldovan government minister, and Roberto Viola, Director-General of DG CONNECT (the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology). These agreements have allowed Moldova to access the EU Cybersecurity Reserve, a large-scale cyber emergency response service established in February under the EU Cyber Solidarity Act.

Ensuring transparency in democratic processes, especially during election campaigns, is essential in a country like Moldova, which applied for EU membership in 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Under the pro-European leadership of President Maia Sandu, who has been in office since 2020, Moldova began EU accession negotiations in June 2024. That same year, in October, the Sandu government called a constitutional referendum on European integration, the outcome of which revealed a deep internal political divide, with a very narrow margin of victory: 50.35% of voters said they were in favor, while 49.65% were against.

The geographical proximity of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the sharp internal political divide between EU membership supporters and pro-Russian groups, especially in the Transnistrian region, make the parliamentary elections particularly important in determining Moldova’s future. A political shift toward Russia could also have significant consequences for the war in Ukraine.

During the 2024 presidential election, corruption and disinformation backed by Russia revealed Moscow’s strong interest in influencing Moldova. In fact, thanks to its location just south of Ukraine, the country could allow Russian military forces to exert pressure on a new front, while extending Russian influence over the Black Sea and Central Europe.

European support has played a key role in enabling the country to move away from Russia's orbit. Since 2022, Moldova’s electricity system has been connected to the European power grid to reduce the country’s dependence on Russian gas. In January 2025, when Russia’s Gazprom announced the suspension of gas supplies to the Transnistrian region, the EU stepped in by providing 30 million euros in emergency assistance to support Moldova during the energy crisis, mitigating in particular the potential social and economic impacts. Additional subsidies are planned to ensure the security of the country’s energy supplies, as part of the 1.9 billion euros allocated by the European Commission in 2025 to support Moldova’s economic growth plan and advance the requirements for EU accession. The partnership between Moldova and the EU also includes the defence sector. In Maia Sandu's five years of pro-European rule, the European Union has become Moldova's first security partner. In addition to the rearmament funding obtained through the European Peace Facility (amounting to 197 million euros between 2021 and 2025), the Security and Defence Agreement signed by the two sides in 2024 has also enabled deeper cooperation in the military field.

In a regional context marked by conventional wars and a rise in hybrid attacks, Moldova’s European choice faces numerous challenges, not only externally but also domestically. Corruption and propaganda already represent elements of democratic instability in a politically divided country. The increase in hybrid threats (such as the weaponization of gas supplies) and the growing influence of disinformation campaigns conducted on social media pose a risk to democratic processes and their transparency, especially in the context of the reforms Moldova is implementing to meet European Union membership requirements. For this reason, strengthening Moldova’s institutional and digital resilience is not only a national priority, but also a key element in building Europe’s collective security. The challenge Chișinău faces is to ensure and protect the democratic system while advancing toward a European future, all the while remaining in the crosshairs of a revisionist power determined to redefine the region's political borders.

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