Amendments to Moldova's Electoral Code on elections in Gagauzia consulted with representatives of People’s Assembly

The draft law amending the Electoral Code, which includes provisions on the organization and conduct of elections for the People’s Assembly (local parliament) of the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia (UTA Gagauzia), scheduled for November 15, 2026, has been consulted with representatives of the region’s legislative body. The discussions aimed to ensure institutional dialogue on the proposed legislative solutions.

The legislative initiative, drafted by a group of MPs, seeks to strengthen the electoral legal framework and improve the mechanisms for organizing elections by clarifying the current procedures, eliminating identified gaps and introducing measures meant to enhance the transparency, integrity and efficiency of the electoral process.

According to the parliament, when drafting the bill, proposals of the Central Electoral Commission were taken into account, as formulated following the post-electoral assessments of the 2024 and 2025 elections, as well as the measures needed to implement a decision of the Constitutional Court adopted in July 2026.

The document stipulates that elections in the UTA Gagauzia will be organized on the basis of Moldova’s Electoral Code and that the Central Electoral Council of Gagauzia will be established according to the same rules applicable to electoral bodies throughout the country.

At the same time, the draft transposes provisions on the transition to a proportional system for electing deputies to the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia. In order to observe the principle of stability of electoral legislation, the new rules will not be applied to the elections scheduled for November 15, 2026. Thus, this year’s elections are to be held, for the last time, under the majoritarian system in single-member constituencies, while the proportional system will be applied to subsequent elections.

The initiative also includes provisions on making postal voting permanent and modernizing the administration of the electoral process, including expanding the possibilities for electoral competitors to make payments using accounts opened with providers authorized by the National Bank of Moldova.

The draft law has been registered in parliament and is to be examined in first reading this week.

Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu has earlier said that elections in the Gagauz autonomy must be organized “as soon as possible,” noting that the central authorities would identify the necessary legal solutions to ensure the conduct of a fair and transparent ballot.