Presidential and Parliamentary Elections in Gagauzia Amid Rising Tension with Chisinau

Polling has begun in the autonomous region of Gagauzia in southern Moldova, where around 129,000 registered voters are heading to 67 polling stations to choose a new president of the region and members of its local parliament (Halk Toplushu), between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. local time. Around 200 observers are monitoring the conduct of the electoral process under the supervision of Moldova's Central Election Commission.

The elections are being held in the absence of President Yevgenia Gutsul, who has been sentenced to seven years in prison in a case involving illegal funding for the banned Shor Party in Moldova, a ruling Comrat has described as a political decision, while Chisinau has insisted it is a purely legal procedure. The appellate court's upholding of the verdict resulted in the local parliament declaring the post of president vacant and holding early elections.

Eight candidates are competing for the presidency; five of them are independents and three are backed by parties. The most prominent independents are Moldovan MP Alexandr Stoianoglo, Comrat mayor Sergei Anastasov, Ceadir-Lunga mayor Oleg Garizan, businessman Cornel Dudnic, and the only female candidate, Ivana Koksal. Meanwhile, the Socialist Party, the Gagauzia People's Party and the New Historical Option nominated their candidates Fyodor Gagauz, Ivan Kilchik and Pyotr Vlah respectively. The ruling Party of Action and Solidarity, founded by President Maia Sandu, declined to put forward any candidate.

These elections are being held for the last time under the single-member district system, as the Moldovan parliament has approved a shift to proportional representation in the next elections. Moldova's Constitutional Court also annulled in July some provisions of the law concerning the region's special legal status, including its powers to form its own electoral commissions.