This coalition of election monitors in Moldova, including our member Promo-LEX, observed the following issues throughout the General local elections and by-elections: limitations of the freedom of voter information, the hindering of work of election management bodies, inconsistent candidate registration practices, a lack of impartial media, and the obstruction of the work of national observers.

The observation mission on Election Day reported that in general the opening of polling stations (PS) went smoothly on E-day. 407 incidents have been analysed by Promo-LEX, most frequently reported incidents, but not significantly numerous, were: deficiencies in voters’ lists, unjustified presence of unauthorized persons in or around the PS, presence of advertising materials within 100 m of the PS, interrupted filming during the opening of the PS and vote counting process. In general the parallel vote count did not find major discrepancies to the data provided by the CEC and the share of erroneous protocols completed by precinct election bureaus has decreased compared to the Parliamentary elections of February 24, 2019.

Promo-LEX: Recent legislative changes create substantial ambiguities for participants in the electoral process. The Promo-LEX Observation Mission is concerned about the modification of some legislative acts, by Law no. 113/2019, which has been made during the electoral period. The changes deal with such fundamental aspects as: electoral campaigning, financing of electoral campaigns, designation and registration of competitors, etc. Introducing such amendments to the Electoral Code during the electoral period has a negative impact on the correctness and predictability of the electoral process.

The  pre-election  period hasbeencharacterizedby adelay  in constituting  the parliamentary  majority,  which led  touncertainties with  regard  tothe  date  of the  general  local elections.Politicalcontext  of local elections  was outlinedby  the  establishment  of  a  new  governing alliance  (the PSRM,  PAS,  PPPDA)  andthe PDM  (ruling  party  since  2009)moving  to  the  opposition.Party switchingbythe local elected officialsis anotherconsequence of the relations establishedin the politicaland administrativesystem during the inter-election period.

The fifth report includes monitoring results using the framework of the Promo-LEX Observation Mission (OM) for the period of 6 February – 20 February 2019 in the run-up to the parliamentary elections taking place on the 24 February 2019.

Promo-LEX Association launched its third Observation Mission Report on the Parliamentary Elections of 24 February 2019. It reveals a series of worrying trends, in particular, intimidation of Promo-LEX observers, early start of electoral campaigns, misuse of administrative resources and offering of electoral gifts, defective reporting of expenditure by initiative groups, as well as other cases related to non-observance of some legal provisions by the public administration.