Nearly 70% of Moldovans say workplace rights are respected, poll shows
Public recognition of labor rights in Moldova surged 3.5-fold over the last decade, with nearly 70% of citizens reporting their workplace protections are upheld, a national perception study revealed.
The findings reflect broad gains across fundamental freedoms as the European Union candidate nation strengthens democratic standards. The overall average appreciation of individual human rights climbed from 41% in 2016 to 66% in 2025.
"This evolution reflects an increasingly favorable perception of human rights compliance, signaling significant progress in democratic processes and the development of a human rights culture in the Republic of Moldova," the authors of the fifth-edition study said.
Gains in social welfare amid selective civic declines
Only one-fifth of respondents felt their labor rights were respected in 2016, compared to 70% in 2025. Perceptions of social protection experienced an even sharper increase, jumping from 15% to 59% across the same nine-year span.
Despite the decade-long upward trend, researchers identified measurable dips in specific categories compared to the 2023 survey. Public confidence in civic decision-making participation fell six percentage points from 62% to 56%. Similarly, satisfaction with access to water and sanitation slipped from 76% to 74%.
Fieldwork occurred between December 17, 2025, and February 13, 2026, surveying 1,610 respondents face-to-face across 144 localities nationwide, excluding the breakaway Transnistrian region. The sample included 1,003 general population respondents, 304 individuals from households with children, and 303 displaced persons from Ukraine, with a margin of error of ±3.1%.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
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