Round table discussion: “The stakes of the European Parliament elections for the Republic of Moldova: results, expectations and opportunities”
The Institute for European Policies and Reforms (IPRE), with the support and in partnership with Konrad Adenauer Foundation Republic of Moldova (KAS), organized on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, a round table discussion “The stakes of the European Parliament elections for the Republic of Moldova: results, expectations and opportunities”.
The debate, moderated by Iulian Groza, IPRE executive director, provided an open platform for dialogue on the importance of the European Parliament elections for boosting the EU accession process of the Republic of Moldova. During the round table, the visions of the representatives of public authorities, the community of national and European experts regarding the expectations from the new composition of the European Parliament and the leadership of the EU institutions were presented, as well as the priorities to be set for the period 2024 – 2029.
Below, we propose some of the main interventions of the speakers.
Cristina Gerasimov, Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration: “A priority for our European path is to maintain a steady pace and accession to the EU. We are already participating in several EU initiatives. We are included in different programs and we hope that in the coming years we will continue to participate and be included even more. We want to transform ourselves as a country, as an economy, to become equal in rights and responsibilities. We have very good friends in Brussels and in other European capitals, who firmly support our European path. It is important that the dialogue on reforms and the future of the EU continues at that high level. And we will continue to prepare the entire country for accession and to be ready, internally, to take this step towards 2030. It all depends on the political developments in the country, but also on those in Brussels. We are committed to transforming ourselves as a country, as an economy and as a society, so that we fully go through all the stages that a candidate state must go through”.
Elmar Brok, Member of the European Parliament (1980 – 2019) and Chair of the European Parliament’s Foreign Policy Committee (1999 – 2007): “Even if the results of the European Parliament elections come as a surprise to many, the European People’s Party (EPP) won more seats in the European Parliament than the entire right-wing bloc combined. Together, the EPP and the Social Democrats (SD) hold 40% of the votes. The European Parliament elects Commissioners and the EPP plays a crucial role in foreign and security policies. The EPP is by far the strongest party in the EU Council, with no significant resistance from the left or right.Under the leadership of Ursula von der Leyen, which includes many EPP Commissioners, policies will continue to align with EPP values. This includes a strong focus on expansion, which is vital to our credibility and strategic interests. The stability of our eastern neighbours, such as Ukraine and Moldova, as democratic countries is crucial. Ukraine stands between us and Russia, and our common interests lend credibility to our policies. Expansion will remain a priority, but we need to carefully consider how to achieve it.”
Dr. Sabine Pokorny, Referent, General Directorate for Analysis and Consulting, Sociological and Electoral Research Section, KAS Berlin: “National politics played a more significant role in these elections compared to the 2019 elections, eclipsing European problems. Key topics included migration, predominantly addressed by the AfD (Alternative for Germany) and BSW. Many Germans currently have a pessimistic view of the situation in their country – only 10% consider the economic situation to be good, a sharp drop from the 59% who had this opinion in 2019. The AfD’s strength in the east is notable, with the party winning more than 30% of the vote in some states. This indicates that support for the AfD is not just a protest vote, but a solidified political stance. Similarly, the BSW (Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance) is stronger in eastern Germany, outperforming the SPD (Social Democratic Party) in some states and, combined with the AfD, winning over 40% of the vote in these regions. The votes for these parties share similarities, including the fact that they are more pro-Russian compared to the rest of the German electorate and focus heavily on national politics and anti-migration positions. This change in voter sentiment will affect the European Parliament, as these positions are now more strongly represented, especially from eastern Germany. There is an increased presence of pro-Russian attitudes and less support for Ukraine among this segment of voters. The weakened state of the Social Democrats affects not only Germany’s national politics, but also its position within the European Union. This change can lead to changes in both the domestic and European political landscape.”
Ionela Maria Ciolan, Researcher, Wilfried Martens Center for European Studies from Brussels: “The European People’s Party aims to play a more influential role on the European agenda. This is particularly promising for Moldova, given the party’s strong support for enlargement. Renew Europe and the Social Democrats have also included enlargement in their manifestos, while the European Conservatives and Reformists express reservations, particularly regarding the institutional reforms within the EU needed to advance the enlargement negotiations. In the short and medium term, the expansion process will continue according to plan. Leaders agreed to open negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, which will cover 35 key files of the acquis communautaire. Looking further, there is a risk of obstruction from far-right parties, although they hold only 35% of the seats and influence about 5% of decisions. It is encouraging that the Republic of Moldova is in the accession phase and we must maintain optimism in the coming years. The implementation of the acquis communautaire will involve rigorous technical work, stressing the need not to take European integration for granted. The challenges observed in the Balkans highlight possible obstacles. As a Romanian, who has experienced the benefits of integration, I strongly believe that being inside the EU is preferable to being outside it.”
For more details, you can watch the full recording of the event here.
This event was organized within the project “The role and importance of the European Parliament elections for the Republic of Moldova”, implemented by IPRE, with the support of and in partenership with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Foundation (KAS).
