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Elections were well administered, in a campaign influenced by geopolitical aspirations, say international observers

The 30 November parliamentary elections in Moldova were characterised by a wide choice of political alternatives and were generally well administered, although the de-registration of one electoral contestant shortly before election day raised questions about the timing and circumstances, international election observers said in a statement issued today. While contestants enjoyed unimpeded access to the media, political influence in broadcast media led to partisan reporting.

“A largely well-run election offered voters the opportunity to choose their preferred candidates and even geopolitical aspirations, which was at the heart of the campaign,” said Emin Önen, Special Co-ordinator and leader of the short-term OSCE observer mission. “That said, the late removal of a highly visible party from the ballot cast a shadow over the final days.”

Against the backdrop of the country’s geopolitical aspirations, candidates were able to compete in a peaceful campaign and fundamental freedoms were generally respected, the statement said. Changes made to candidate lists up to a week before the elections meant that some potential candidates continued working in official government capacities throughout the campaign, thus blurring the distinction between public office and campaign activities. Observers noted a limited number of campaign violations, mostly related to unequal access to public venues.

“Yesterday the citizens of Moldova voted in a free and dignified manner. The newly elected parliament should immediately begin implementing long-awaited reforms in order to resolve socio-economic issues, tackle corruption, and adopt laws on electoral campaign and party financing, in particular to ensure transparency of sources of funding. The application of the law should be fair and justice should never be selective,” said Jean-Claude Mignon, head of the PACE delegation. “The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, its monitoring mechanisms, the Venice Commission and the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) stand ready to assist the Moldovan authorities in carrying out reforms.”

The election administration was generally professional and transparent and enjoyed the confidence of most stakeholders. In particular, the new electronic system for voter registration marked a positive development, although its introduction faced challenges related to procedures and infrastructure, while the processing of voters’ data on election day experienced technical deficiencies. (more...)

See also:

Moldova and the Council of Europe

Parliamentary Assembly Chișinău 1 December 2014
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