Electoral debates in Moldova spotlight political responsibility
The decision by Alexandr Stoianoglo to ignore electoral debates on Moldova 1 and Radio Moldova underscores a lack of political culture and represents an insult to voters, with voting serving as a means of response, asserts Black Sea region expert Mihai Isac.
In an interview with Moldova 1, Isac highlighted that Maia Sandu continued to advance with determination in last night’s debates, and her public recognition of the need for progress in justice reform and potential government reshuffles sends a significant message.
Isac emphasised the importance of electoral debates and commended Teleradio-Moldova’s commitment to public interest. He argued that ignoring these debates “demonstrates a lack of political culture in terms of conduct before the public and serves as an insult to one’s own electorate.” “We saw what transpired on Sunday, when President Maia Sandu won the first debate decisively, and the absence of a moderator was clearly felt. The socialist candidate stumbled over his phrasing and acted as if he did not understand several questions. This whole commotion could have been avoided. The fact that the Socialist Party’s candidate has a poor command of the Romanian language became apparent during the Sunday round on October 27.”
The commentator noted that even in the Moldova 1 debates, Maia Sandu proceeded assertively, undeterred by challenging questions from journalists. “Her public acknowledgment of certain communication issues within her administration, the need for potential government reshuffles, and the necessity of more robust progress in justice reform sends an important signal.”
The analyst also noted that undecided voters, as well as those who supported other candidates in the first round, will play a crucial role in determining the outcome of the second round of elections. “Their votes matter, and they can confidently participate in this electoral process. However, a major concern remains the possibility of oligarch Ilan Șor buying votes in the Republic of Moldova, an issue that must be addressed. High voter turnout represents a dignified response by honest Moldovan voters to those attempting to undermine their future through voter bribery.”
It should be noted that yesterday both presidential candidates, Maia Sandu and Alexandr Stoianoglo, were invited to participate in a live electoral debate broadcast on Moldova 1 and Radio Moldova; however, the latter declined to attend. During her appearance on the public television network, the PAS candidate acknowledged her administration’s past mistakes and indicated that if re-elected, she would consider potential government reshuffles by the end of the year.
The second round of the presidential election is scheduled for Sunday, November 3. In the first round, Maia Sandu secured 42.45% of the votes, while Alexandr Stoianoglo garnered 25.98%.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
