In November 2019 a new government took power in Moldova under Ion Chicu as prime minister.
Formally non-partisan, the new cabinet is in fact controlled by President Igor Dodon and the pro-Russian
Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova (PSRM). The establishment of this government
brought an end to the five-month political experiment of Maia Sandu’s coalition government, which
was composed of the pro-Western ACUM bloc and the Socialists. In essence, the takeover of power
by the latter means a halt to any real reforms, a worsening of relations with the West, and a far smaller
chance that the legal proceedings currently underway into the country’s biggest corruption scandals
will have a positive outcome. Also, the multi-vector foreign policy declared by the government and
President Dodon, which is aimed at maintaining good relations with both Russia and the EU, will in
practice increase the Kremlin’s influence in Moldova.
Although President Dodon has gathered quite a significant amount of power, his situation remains
uncertain. He does not control the parliamentary majority, and is forced to rely on the support of
the Democratic Party of Moldova (PDM), which has been weakened by the crisis. The main challenge
for Dodon is the presidential election which is scheduled for the end of this year. However, the weak
and increasingly fragmented pro-European opposition plays into the hands of Dodon and his group
