Church again involved in elections: cases reported by Promo-LEX
The legislation of the Republic of Moldova explicitly prohibits the involvement of religious groups in electoral activities. However, the latest report from the Promo-LEX Mission indicates that this issue continued during the elections held on September 28. Observers documented at least four instances of electoral agitation involving clergy or the use of places of worship, a phenomenon that has also been observed in previous elections.
One of the cases involves the Patriotic Electoral Bloc of Socialists, Communists, Heart and Future of Moldova (BEP), which launched its campaign near the Căpriana Monastery. The images shared on social media included both the party’s electoral symbols and a religious backdrop, representing a direct use of religious imagery for electoral purposes.
Independent candidate Andrei Năstase also utilized religious symbolism during his campaign. At his launch event in the village of Mândrești, Telenești district, he was blessed by the village priest, who encouraged attendees to support him. Observers note that this constitutes "a form of electoral agitation carried out by a church representative."
Additionally, the official page of the Republican Party "Heart of Moldova," a part of the BEP, featured images of candidates Irina Vlah and Sergiu Butuc attending a religious service in the village of Stoianovca, Cantemir district. The post explicitly linked messages about the values of the "Moldovan church" with the political positions of the bloc.
The report also mentions Bishop Marchel of Bălți and Fălești, who urged his parishioners to reject European values. This is not the first instance of political involvement by the bishop; during the 2024 elections, he was fined 3,500 lei for similar offences. He was the only cleric officially sanctioned, although Promo-LEX reported several similar cases at that time.
Reactions and calls for neutrality
According to Promo-LEX, the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) issued an appeal to all religious denominations, urging them to focus on their spiritual mission and avoid political involvement. Authorities have warned that such actions contravene the law and may be subject to sanctions.
The Metropolitanate of Moldova, through the urging of Metropolitan Vladimir, also launched an appeal to believers to participate in the vote "in the spirit of Christian responsibility", emphasizing, however, that priests must refrain from "political games" and "electoral propaganda".
Promo-LEX recalls that the Church's involvement in campaigns is not a new practice. In 2024, the Intelligence and Security Service reported that approximately 500 priests and parishioners participated in pilgrimages to the Russian Federation, with the intention of indirectly influencing the clergy's stance on the election. At the same time, the organization documented 14 cases of electoral agitation involving the clergy.
Moreover, during the 2016 presidential elections, Promo-LEX reports described the “aggressive intervention” of representatives of the Metropolitanate of Moldova, who used extremist, xenophobic and sexist language. The findings were also confirmed by the Constitutional Court, which, validating the presidential mandate, also issued an address to Parliament to find solutions to sanction the abusive behavior of the clergy in the campaigns.
Promo-LEX also emphasizes that the involvement of the Church in the electoral campaign undermines democratic principles and is contrary to the law. The role of religious denominations should be one of moral and civic education, of strengthening social unity, not of influencing the electoral choices of citizens.
According to the legislation of the Republic of Moldova, representatives of religious denominations who conduct electoral campaigning, including in places of worship, risk fines ranging from 2,500 to 20,000 lei.
The Electoral Code also prohibits the financing and material support of campaigns by religious institutions, as well as the use of religious symbols or images for electoral purposes.
