Moldova's parliament voted on 17 April to hold elections on 28 September, a vote that could threaten the majority currently held by the pro-Western President Maya Sandu's party.
The proposal to hold elections in September was approved by 57 MPs, with 32 abstentions. The election is expected to be highly contested as Sandu's pro-EU Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) faces a growing challenge from the pro-Russian opposition.
Last year, Russia spent nearly €200 million buying votes in Moldova's presidential race and EU referendum in the hope of ousting Sandu from office and ending the country's EU aspirations, the Kyiv Independent reports.
While Sandu emerged with a narrow victory, her opponent - former prosecutor-general Alexandru Stoyanoglo - now heads a three-party coalition challenging PAS's majority in parliament.
According to parliament speaker Igor Grosu, the September elections will be "decisive" in determining Moldova's future.
"We will either throw away everything we have achieved on the path of modernisation and EU integration, or we will move forward towards peace and development," Grossu said.
"Our goal is to ensure that Moldova stays on the path of peace, avoids falling under the influence of the Kremlin and preserves its sovereignty and freedom," he added.
Throughout his mandate, Sandu has steered Moldova towards a pro-European trajectory, overseeing the country's EU accession process. Moldova formally began EU accession talks in June 2024, two years after applying for membership alongside Ukraine.
At the same time, the country is grappling with overt Russian interference as Moscow tries to draw it back into its orbit.
In September, Moldova will again decide whether it will continue on its European path or move closer to Russia. | BGNES