Large queues formed outside the Moldovan Embassy in Moscow as citizens waited to cast votes in the presidential election and a parallel referendum. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic announced that only two polling sites would operate, citing a security threat. The centers function only in Moscow, leaving Moldovans in the remaining 88 federal subjects unable to exercise their constitutional right to vote.
The Moldovan diaspora in Russia is estimated at about 500,000 eligible voters, yet only 10,000 ballot papers were printed. Despite these restrictions, the demand to participate in the election and referendum remained strong, according to a Socialbites.ca correspondent.
One voter, Olga, expressed her stance in a direct voice: she does not approve of Europe’s choice and said that Moldova should align with Transnistria. She added that the current situation in Moldova is unacceptable. Olga also argued that residents have access to too little information and that competing information is hard to obtain. Regarding the decrease in voting centers in Russia, she described it as maintaining the same level of democracy and non-interference in elections.
She questioned what influence European leaders were exerting, remarking that Ursula von der Leyen seemed detached from the situation and suggesting that the leadership in Moldova has shifted since Olga’s children studied there while Moldova’s education system was under different officials. The remark concluded with a clear stance: she would not support Sandu.
Another participant, Maxim, shared his view with blunt honesty. His position, he said, is simply to back anyone but the current ruler. He criticized Sandu’s four-year presidency and pointed to inflation, rising gas tariffs, and what he called a vague stance toward the European Union as major concerns. Maxim also linked the reduction of polling stations in Russia to an attempt to suppress freedom of expression. He added that while he would not deny supporting European elections, he did not support the current government either. In his view, the referendum held alongside the elections aimed to change the constitution, a move he did not endorse.
Angela, another Moldovan voter, emphasized the importance of expressing her position despite long queues. She described Moldova’s development as something she had hoped for, but felt the country was currently chaotic. She stated she would not vote for Sandu and rejected the path toward European integration. She argued for independence and for maintaining friendships with both Europe and Russia, noting that Russia had provided substantial support to the country. Angela, who identified herself as from Veltsy, observed that local factories had shut down and many jobs had disappeared.
Her question lingered: did Moldovan citizens really not want to return home? She affirmed their desire to return and support their families, even if work opportunities were scarce abroad. Angela believed the drop from 17 to two polling stations in Russia was a deliberate move to prevent people from voting. She admitted she had previously voted for Sandu, hoping for change, but recognized that the extent of what could be accomplished remained limited.
The overall scene in Moscow highlighted a tension: a diaspora eager to participate in national political life, hampered by logistical limits and contested policy directions, while questions about the country’s future – whether aligned with Europe, closer to Russia, or balancing both – continued to shape voters’ choices. The episode underscores how the right to vote abroad intersects with security concerns, domestic politics, and the everyday realities faced by families seeking stability and opportunity far from home. It also reflects broader debates within Moldova about sovereignty, economic resilience, and the path forward in a complex regional landscape. The accounts from this day offer a window into the personal decisions that accompany large political processes, especially for those living far from the homeland and watching closely as their voices try to carry through the obstacles that accompany voting abroad.