Local Elections 2023: Between Perceptions and Realities - An analysis of local elections in the Republic of Moldova from gender equality perspective

On November 5, 2023, general local elections were held in the Republic of Moldova in all administrative-territorial units of level I - cities (municipalities), villages (communes) and level II - districts, Chisinau and Balti municipalities, except for the localities on the left bank of the Dniester River. Representatives of local public administration were elected for a four-year term: 896 mayors and 11 058 local councilors in district, municipal, town, commune and village councils.

The Centre for Partnership for Development (CPD) has been monitoring parliamentary and local elections for about 15 years, analysing women's representation in elections, voter perceptions, political party funding, etc. with the aim of highlighting the main inequalities in terms of women's and men's participation in electoral processes; society's perceptions of women's presence in political life, etc. As part of the observation mission for the 2023 general local elections, CPD aimed to analyse trends in relation to previous elections. 

This report is drafted by the Partnership for Development Centre, in partnership with the Civic Coalition for Free and Fair Elections, with the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), IM Swedish Development Partner Lund Branch Moldova, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women and the United Nations Development Entity.