“We must act together”: Maia Sandu shares Moldova’s lessons from recent elections at the Paris Peace Forum
In the past three elections, the Republic of Moldova has encountered intense propaganda from the Kremlin, supported by illegal funding and the involvement of priests acting as "influencers" both in churches and on TikTok. President Maia Sandu remarked at the Paris Peace Forum on Wednesday, October 29, that our country has "defended its democracy" and successfully resisted these efforts, thanks to audiovisual regulations and the work of independent media investigations.
Listing the actions taken by the Republic of Moldova to protect the honest vote of its citizens, the head of state warned the leaders present at the forum that hybrid threats do not stop at the border of the Schengen Area and require a policy of enlargement of the European Union (EU), with the integration of “democracies on the front line” of attacks.
“Europe must grow - EU enlargement is not an act of charity, but of security. By integrating democracies on the front line, Europe will become bigger, stronger and more resilient, able to defend its democracies, citizens and way of life. (...) To defend democracy, Europe must act as a whole - big, strong and united, to resist hostile powers that seek to divide us”, declared Maia Sandu.
Russian propaganda, fueled by dirty money
The President was keen to point out that, with the large-scale invasion of Ukraine, "the manipulation of the truth has reached a frightening level", and because the Republic of Moldova refused to be "on the side of the aggressor", the Kremlin launched a furious campaign to undermine trust in our state, discredit the leadership, divide citizens and scare them, spreading the idea that, "if Moldova stands with Ukraine and Europe, it will end up having the fate of Ukraine".
According to the leader from Chisinau, in the parliamentary elections this September, Russia used disinformation, exploiting every difference - language, ethnicity, geography, history - to divide us, to undermine trust in free and fair voting and, subsequently, "to seize power in Moldova".
“And propaganda doesn’t come by itself. It is fueled by illegal money and, in the case of the Republic of Moldova, has even involved priests turned influencers spreading pro-Kremlin narratives in churches and on TikTok. Hybrid warfare, which authoritarian regimes use to undermine democracies, combines online manipulation with real-world actions,” Maia Sandu informed the audience.
Subversive plans exposed by journalists
An important role in combating disinformation and exposing subversive plans was played by the independent press in the Republic of Moldova, strongly supported by development partners, as well as editorial offices abroad (BBC), the head of state emphasized.
“Last year, Reporters Without Borders ranked Moldova 31st in the world in terms of press freedom, a jump of over fifty positions compared to five years ago, when we began this transformation. This progress was not only about freedom, but also about our strength and national security. Because when Russia’s malign influence intensified, our independent, consolidated and resilient press became the first line of defense. In recent elections, investigative journalists uncovered troll farms, exposed disinformation networks financed by cryptocurrencies, vote-buying schemes, and revealed how Russian proxies tried to buy influence with dirty money and lies,” Maia Sandu pointed out.
According to the head of state, the independent press in the Republic of Moldova is today financed “transparently and legally”, while “Russian propaganda channels – not”.
"That is why we have strengthened our legal framework, provided the Audiovisual Council with stronger tools and, in some cases, made difficult decisions to suspend channels that misinformed or glorified war. We adopted these measures not to suppress other opinions, but to protect citizens' right to information they can rely on. Even so, manipulation persists through over three hundred Russian-language TV channels that mix entertainment with propaganda, humor with hatred, normalizing Russia's aggression against independent states and undermining trust in democracy," Maia Sandu also said.
TikTok propelled a party into the Moldovan Parliament
The President acknowledged that, unlike television, the digital sphere remains unregulated mainly and even propelled a party into Parliament in the last parliamentary elections.
“Social media platforms, once the promise of freedom and transparency, have become vast spaces of manipulation. During the 2025 parliamentary elections, Russian-controlled networks used Telegram, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram to assault Moldovan users with fabricated news, deepfakes and coordinated propaganda. (...) A political party, almost non-existent at the grassroots level, was suddenly propelled into Parliament through a campaign waged almost exclusively on TikTok,” the official said.
Maia Sandu stated that these issues “should alarm us all.”
“What happened in the Republic of Moldova in the last three elections or in Romania last year can happen anywhere - in the national elections or in the next elections for the European Parliament. Moldova's experience shows that we must act together to restore the integrity of the information space. (...) We must follow the money. No platform should accept political or advertising payments from sanctioned individuals or entities. If the money is dirty, it cannot be treated as a regular transaction”, said Maia Sandu from the rostrum of the Paris Peace Forum.
The head of state suggested that the European Democracy Shield provide concrete tools to protect the democratic debate from manipulation and illicit influences, since “peace cannot survive without the integrity of information, and democracies cannot survive without those who protect it — journalists, citizens and leaders alike”.
“The Republic of Moldova is deeply grateful for the leadership role assumed by France and for the constant support in our efforts to resist Russian hybrid attacks and advance on the path to EU accession. Together we defend not only our countries, but the very idea of a free and united Europe”, concluded Maia Sandu.
We note that President Maia Sandu participated for the second time in the Paris Peace Forum, now in its eighth edition, having been invited by the President of France, Emmanuel Macron.
The Peace Forum was launched in 2018 and annually brings together leaders of countries and experts from around the world to discuss solutions to major global challenges – from peace and security, to sustainable development and democratic governance.
