The Association for Participatory Democracy ADEPT, under the aegis of the Civic Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (CALC), has published a new analytical study entitled “Voting Abroad in the Republic of Moldova’s Elections: Pros and Cons.”

The document comes in response to a legislative initiative submitted by a group of MPs from the Bloc of Communists and Socialists (BCS), aimed at restricting the voting rights of Moldovan citizens residing abroad. Through a rigorous legal analysis, ADEPT demonstrates that the draft law contradicts both the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova and international electoral standards.

Key findings of the study:

• The draft law imposes discriminatory conditions, such as mandatory consular registration and verification of legal status for voters in the diaspora.
• It promotes vote-distorting measures, including the introduction of a weighting coefficient for votes cast abroad, which violates the principle of equal suffrage.
• The initiative misuses ECtHR jurisprudence, particularly the Sitaropoulos v. Greece case, by ignoring the actual intent and conclusions of the ruling.
• The legal framework governing out-of-country voting has evolved steadily over the past three decades, strengthening voting rights for citizens abroad and eliminating administrative barriers.

The study also provides an overview of the evolution of national legislation on diaspora voting, alongside a comparative analysis of international best practices, especially the recommendations of the Venice Commission and OSCE/ODIHR.

The full study is attached.