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handle is hein.crs/govegus0001 and id is 1 raw text is: ongn Updated August 27, 2021 Moldova: An Overview Moldova is one of three post-Soviet states-together with Ukraine and Georgia-thathas sought greater integration with the West while dealing with separatist territories occupiedby Russian forces. Many Members of Congress have long supported Moldova's democratic trajectory and territorial integrity and have called on Rus sia to respect Moldova's sovereignty andwithdraw its military forces. Moldova's political environment has been contentious for years. However, the twin victories ofreformist Maia Sandu in the 2020 presidential elections and her pro -European Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) in 2021 snap parliamentary elections point to renewed efforts to reinvigorate Moldova's governance reforms and boost its European integration efforts. PAS's victory ends years of rule by shifting and unstable parliamentary coalitions that often included allegedly corruptpolitical forces. 2020 Presidential Ekection In November 2020, Maia Sandu was directly elected as Moldova's president. Moldova's presidency has relatively limited powers underthe country's parliamentary system, but the positionholds symbolic importance. Sandudefeated incumbent President Igor Dodon, 58% to 42%, in a second- round vote. Dodon is the de facto leader of the Rus sian- leaning, socially conservative Party of Socialists. Before the election, some observers thought Dodonhad an advantage due to the Socialists' control of major media organizations and the anticipated manipulation and mobilization of pro-Rus sian voters in Moldova's breakaway region of Transnistria and among Moldovans in Russia. Sandu's campaign targeted the government's alleged economic mismanagement andpoorCOVID-19 pandemic response. In addition, Sandu accused Dodonandother government officials of corruption. Sandu's margin of victory was expanded significantly by heavy turnout armng Moldovan voters in Europe. Voters abroad made up 16% of total turnout; 93% ofthemvoted for Sandu (relatively few Rus sia-based voters participated in the election). Prior to the 2020 election, Sandu had served briefly as prime minister in a coalition government comprising a politicalbloc she co-led andthe Socialists. This uneasy coalition formed in 2019 to unseat the formerly ruling Democratic Party of Moldova (PDM), which failed in an effort to use Moldova's Constitutional Court to block the Sandu government fromcoming to power. In November 2019, the Sandu government fell after the Socialists initiated a no-confidence vote, and a new Socialist-backed government formed with PDM support. These developments followed aperiod ofconcern over alleged deterioration of the rule oflaw in Moldova. The center-left PDM gainedpower in 2016 amid fallout from a bankfraud scandal involving the alleged loss of some $1 billion, equivalent to more than 12% of Moldova's gross domestic product (GDP). Many observers s ay the PDM and its former leader Vladimir Plahotniuc, a wealthy businessman, captured Moldova's state institutions for personal and p arty g ain. In 2019, Plahotniuc left the country; he has been indicted for financial crimes. Figure I. Moldova at aGlance Source: Figure created by CRS using Moldova National Bureau of Statistics and World Bank (does not include Transnistria). 202 Snap Parliamentary E-ctions At the end of 2020, Sandu, the PAS, and the Socialists all expressed support for snap parliamentary elections, as a stable majority did not exist. A temporary stalemate followed, however, as the Socialists andits allies sought to retake power. In February 2021, as part of an agreed plan for calling snap elections, the parliament rejected Sandu's nomiination of the PAS-backed Natalia Gavrilita as prime minister. The Socialists then unexpectedly nominated another candidate, who claimed the support of a majority in parliament. Sandu rejected this candidate, stating thathis list of supporters hadbeen securedby corruptmeans and, in any case, did notrepresent an official majority faction. After the parliament failed to support a second presidential nominee, President Sandu requested the Constitutional Court pronounce shehad the right to dis solve parliament and hold snap elections. The Courtruled affirmatively and opposed two more Socialist efforts to forestallnew elections-theimposition of a state of emergency, allegedly related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and an effort to remove the Constitutional Court chairman. In April2021, Sandu dis solvedparliament and scheduled snap parliamentary elections forJuly 11, 2021. Sandu's

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