IRI Moldova Poll Shows Strong Voter Enthusiasm, Trust in President Sandu, Majority Support Joining the European Union

Chisinau, Moldova – A new poll in Moldova by the International Republican Institute’s (IRI) Center for Insights in Survey Research (CISR) shows that an overwhelming majority of voters plan to cast a ballot in the presidential election in October, a plurality view President Sandu as the most trustworthy public figure, and a majority support joining the European Union (EU).

When asked about the upcoming presidential election on October 20^th, 60% of adults said they are very likely to vote, while 30% said they are somewhat likely to vote for a total of 90%.

“Our survey shows strong voter enthusiasm which could lead to a strong turnout for this election in Moldova in the fall.” said Stephen Nix, Senior Director for Eurasia at IRI. “This is a clear indication that the Moldovan people are excited and want to participate in the democratic process.” 

The poll also shows that President Maia Sandu is the country’s most trusted public figure. A plurality of 33% trusted her the most or second most, outpacing all other public figures by at least ten percentage points.  

Additionally, 53% plan to vote “Yes” in the constitutional referendum on EU accession. 

“Moldovans understand that membership to the EU can help put them on a path to economic prosperity,” said Nix. “They see stronger ties with the democratic West as a path to a brighter future.” 

Methodology   

The survey was coordinated by Dr. Rasa Alisauskiene from Baltic Surveys/The Gallup Organization on behalf of the Center for Insights in Survey Research. The fieldwork was carried out by Magenta Consulting. Data was collected throughout Moldova (with the exception of Transnistria) between May 23 and June 13, 2024, through face-to-face interviews in respondents’ homes.  The main sample consisted of 1,225 permanent residents of Moldova aged 18 and older and eligible to vote and is representative of the general population by gender, region, and settlement size (urban/rural), according to the Moldova Statistical Databank from 2023.​      

The main sample was weighted for gender, region, and urbanicity and the Chisinau sample was weighted for gender and urbanicity according to the Moldova Statistical Databank from 2023. ​The margin of error of the main sample does not exceed plus or minus 2.8 percentage points. The response rate was 57 percent.​    

​The survey was funded by the United States Agency for International Development.