Sociology Points to Problems for Maia Sandu and Her Team

A survey conducted by a reputable American NGO, which has come into Kommersant possession, shows that Maia Sandu has a very high disapproval rating. The survey will not be made public, but will be shown to representatives of Moldovan parties. Social polls show an increase in her disapproval rating on the one hand and the popularity of her opponents on the other. The disapproval rating of the incumbent president is higher than that of all known Moldovan politicians, including such a controversial character as the fugitive oligarch Ilan Sor, who moved to Moscow, kommersant.ru reports. One of the research questions was about respondents’ attitudes towards politicians. They were read a list of names and asked to indicate what opinion they had about each one in the range of favorable-unfavorable. When Sandu was mentioned, 42% of respondents said that they had a favorable attitude towards her, and 57% - unfavorable. For comparison: when mentioning the fugitive Moldovan oligarch Ilan Sor, sentenced in absentia in Moldova to 15 years in prison for financial frauds, 47% expressed a favorable attitude towards the convict, and 49% - unfavorable. The current Chisinau mayor Ion Ceban, who has not yet announced his participation in the presidential race, but, as observers expect, may go to the elections, has a favorable-unfavorable ratio - 56% to 35%. Former Moldovan President Igor Dodon, who lost the 2020 election to Maia Sandu, has 51% and 47% respectively. Dodon, it should be noted, is fully preparing for the upcoming campaign. Although he has not yet announced his intention to run, his Party of Socialists held an extraordinary congress on 23 March, at which Igor Dodon was elected head of the political formation. The quoted poll also showed that the majority of citizens believe that the country’s security can be guaranteed by its neutral status (69%). In this sense, 20% rely on the EU and 17% on NATO.