Moldova to spend 66 million lei on political party funding in 2026
Moldova will allocate over 66 million lei (approx. $3.7 million) to fund political parties next year. This figure accounts for nearly half of the Central Electoral Commission’s (CEC) total estimated budget of 151 million lei for 2026.
The 2026 budget was approved by the CEC on December 19 and is now pending a final vote in Parliament.
Breaking down the costs
Of the total budget, 48 million lei will cover the Commission's core administrative operations. An additional 15 million lei is set aside for regional electoral bodies that manage district-level logistics.
The Commission also allocated 400,000 lei to continue the partial rollout of mail-in voting, a system designed to help Moldovans living abroad participate in the democratic process.
How party funding works
In Moldova, political parties rely on an annual injection of taxpayer money to stay active. The distribution is strictly performance-based:
30% is tied to parliamentary election results.
30% depends on performance in general local elections.
15% is linked to presidential election outcomes.
25% serves as a bonus for parties that actively recruit and promote women and young candidates into their leadership ranks.
Upcoming local elections
State funds will also power new local elections, with 13 million lei earmarked for logistics, ballot printing, and staffing polling stations. Under Moldovan law, these "new elections" occur when a mayor or local official leaves office before their term ends.
The CEC has scheduled the next round of voting for May 17. Polls are already confirmed for several villages, including Mașcăuți, Sărătenii Vechi, Costești, and Ruseștii Noi.
A shift from 2025
The 2026 budget represents a significant decrease from 2025, which saw an allocation of 341.5 million lei. That spike was driven by the 180 million lei required to organize a full-scale parliamentary election, illustrating the lower cost of maintaining the democratic machinery during "off-years."
Translation by Iurie Tataru
