Evan Roeschen, Sophomore
With all the political shifts happening in the world, it is easy to miss elections in smaller nations and the effect they have on the international climate. On February 24th, the nation of Moldova will be holding parliamentary elections for their one hundred and one member assembly. The small European country does not usually make headlines but the political danger has escalated. The nation only came to be on March 2, 1991 after being recognized by the United Nations. Since then, the country has remained quiet until recent years. On September 13, 2015 protests engulfed the nation for the first time in over two decades. Over 100,000 people across the country took to the streets to protest widespread money laundering and government corruption. They demanded President Nicolae Timofti resign along with the majority of parliament. Ever since that event three years ago, things have spiraled out of control in Moldova.
Following the protests, 2016 brought radical solutions into the political spotlight. The ruling Democratic party proposed new amendments to expand democratic opportunities and increase voter turnout. The country seemed to be on track to regain stability but that changed in 2018. Newly elected President Igor Dondon repealed the amendments from the previous administration, sparking a new round of nationwide protests. Suggested solutions to the crisis range from rewriting the constitution to reunification with neighboring Romania. The people’s problems don't end with an incompetent government, unfortunately. The nation's economy has taken a massive hit as well. In 2015-2016 former president Timofti used one billion of the nation’s collected tax dollars to pay off banks, and used the rest of the funds to plan his next election campaign. Moldova currently holds the title as Europe's poorest nation. Placing last economically out of 50 countries has plunged the populace into a rage. One reason for this economic decline is Moldova's geography. Being landlocked between Ukraine and Romania ensures that Moldova does not have access to the Mediterranean Sea and the global trade market. Moldova was reliant on Russian ports but they were denied the right to use them in 2017 following increasing tensions between Moscow and Brussels.
As things stand, less than 40% of Moldova's population has Internet or wifi access putting them on par with the poorest African countries. Government corruption scandals have caused the national currency to become devalued and Russia and the European Union has reduced trade ties as a result. Currently, the ruling Democratic Party and their coalition ally hold a 51 seat governing majority but this power hangs in the balance due to a challenge from their left wing opposition. The Socialists hold 24 seats and the PCRM or Communist party hold 6. Combined, they are attempting to challenge the ruling government and take power on February 24. The options in Moldova are not as promising as citizens would like and some are even fearing a communist takeover of the country again. The only solutions that seem plausible are reunification with Romania or a new political party to reshape the path of the country. Until one of these two events occur, the nation of Moldova will remain with a divided population and a complex future.
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