Moldova bars pro-Russian party from tense parliamentary election

CHISINAU, Moldova — Moldova’s electoral commission on Friday barred the pro-Russian Heart of Moldova party from participating in the weekend parliamentary election, part of a broader crackdown on groups tied to Moscow amid widespread claims of Russian interference. The vote on Sunday is seen as a test of the country’s Western-leaning orientation as it pursues European Union membership since 2022.

Heart of Moldova was one of four parties in the Patriotic Electoral Bloc, BEP, which is viewed as a major challenger to the ruling pro-Western Party of Action and Solidarity, or PAS. The Central Electoral Commission said it acted on a ruling by the Chisinau Court of Appeal that restricted the party’s activities for 12 months. The justice ministry had requested the restrictions after searches earlier this month on BEP members on allegations of voter bribery, illegal party financing and money laundering. The commission said all candidates proposed by Heart of Moldova will be removed from the bloc's list of candidates, and gave BEP 24 hours to adjust its list to meet electoral thresholds.

The blocking comes as Moldova, a former Soviet republic that gained candidate status for EU membership in 2022, navigates a polarized electoral climate. Authorities argue Moscow has spent hundreds of millions of euros to sway the outcome via an alleged vote-buying operation and to incite unrest around the poll. Moscow denies meddling.

Irina Vlah, who leads Heart of Moldova, condemned the decision as an abusive move and called it a political spectacle. She said the ruling PAS has orchestrated a scenario to silence the party. On Thursday, Vlah was banned from entering Latvia, Estonia and Poland, which accused her of helping the Russian Federation interfere in the preparations for the parliamentary elections.

The electoral commission's decision is likely to inflame tensions in an already polarized country. Officials have warned that Russia could spend hundreds of millions to sway the vote and may attempt to incite unrest around polling places or during election week. Moscow has repeatedly denied meddling in Moldova’s elections. In a statement Thursday, Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed allegations of Russian interference as “anti-Russian” and unsubstantiated.

Moldova’s political landscape has long featured a contest between pro-EU reformers and Moscow-aligned parties. The Party of Action and Solidarity has held a strong parliamentary majority since 2021, but the upcoming election poses a challenge as Russia-friendly opponents mount campaigns that hinge on neutrality and a pivot away from Western integration. Moldova, which declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, has sought closer ties with the European Union, with candidate status granted in 2022. The outcome of Sunday’s vote could test the durability of that path amid broader regional tensions and a history of Russian influence in domestic politics.