Republic of Moldova: Maia Sandu, favorite in the race for a new presidential term (survey)

The acting president of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, is the favorite in the perspective of the upcoming presidential elections in the fall, while her main opponent, the former pro-Russian president Igor Dodon, has fallen in the voters’ preferences below 14%, according to the results of a survey presented on Thursday by the company iData, in Chisinau, informs Agerpres citing the publication Ziarul Naţional.

Thus, Maia Sandu would accumulate 27.9% of the votes if early presidential elections were held next Sunday. She is followed by Igor Dodon, with 13.3%, by ex-prime minister Ion Chicu – with 5.7%, by the current mayor of Chisinau, Ion Ceban – with 4.4%, by the former governor of Gagauzia, Irina Vlah – with 4.3% and the controversial businessman Renato Usatîi – 3%.

The balance could be tipped by the over 30% of respondents who do not know, for now, who they would vote with or did not want to answer.

The authors of the poll state that the sample does not include the votes from the diaspora and from Transnistria, according to the cited media.

The referendum on the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the EU, together with the presidential elections. How many Moldovans support joining the EU and NATO

At the same time, according to the results of the same survey, the majority of Moldovan citizens are in favor of the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the European Union, informs Deschide.md.

According to the survey, 57.4% of those questioned answered that they would vote for joining the EU, while 32.8% expressed themselves against the republic joining the EU bloc. At the same time, about 10% refused to answer.

When asked if they accept the organization of the referendum for EU accession together with the presidential election, 43% of the people interviewed answered affirmatively, while 43.9% declared that they were “against”.

The sociological research also shows that the support for the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the EU is on a slight increase – 57.4% in March 2024, compared to 56.7% in January 2024. At the same time, those who declare against European integration have decreased from 34 .4%, in January 2024, to 32.8%, in March 2024, notes the publication Ziarul Naţional from Chişinău.

Regarding the eventual accession of the Republic of Moldova to NATO, a percentage of 31.3% said they were “for”, while 56% declared against.

The survey was conducted between March 18-24, on a sample of 1,131 people, with a margin of error of +/- 3%.

The investigation comes in the context in which the president of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, announced on March 18 that the presidential elections and the constitutional referendum on the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the EU will be held on the same day, in October.

In this sense, the legislative forum in Chisinau amended the Electoral Code in January so that the referendum on Moldova’s accession to the EU could take place simultaneously with the presidential elections.