Moldova's Gagauzia region faces election deadlock and information war

The autonomous Gagauzia region of Moldova has been in a political crisis for almost a year, centered on a dispute over how to organise new elections. The Constitutional Court’s decision to dissolve the Central Electoral Commission left the region without a body to run polls, and repeated attempts to re‑establish the commission have been blocked by the State Chancellery and the courts.

The crisis traces back to the 2023 election of regional governor Evghenia Guțul, whose victory was marred by accusations of vote‑buying and the growing influence of businessman Ilan Șor’s network. Since then, Gagauzia has become isolated from Chișinău, lost Turkish support, and seen a sharp drop in promised investments and business activity.

The situation is further inflamed by an information war, with Russian actors promoting narratives of “autonomy liquidation” and a “second Transnistria.” A recent visit by the Russian ambassador to the regional capital Comrat was interpreted by some as a routine diplomatic meeting and by others as a political signal amid the centre‑region tension.