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| Action and Solidarity Party | |
|---|---|
| Name | Action and Solidarity Party |
| Native name | Partidul Acțiune și Solidaritate |
| Abbreviation | PAS |
| Leader | Maia Sandu |
| Founded | 2016 |
| Ideology | Liberalism, Pro-Europeanism, Christian democracy |
| Position | Centre-right |
| Headquarters | Chișinău |
| International | European People's Party (associate) |
| Seats1 title | Parliament |
| Seats2 title | Local councils |
| Country | Moldova |
Action and Solidarity Party is a political party in Moldova founded in 2016 that rose to prominence through advocacy for European Union integration, anti-corruption reform, and public administration modernization. The party has been associated with prominent figures such as Maia Sandu, electoral victories in the 2019 elections and 2020 presidential election, and policy clashes with pro‑Russian parties like PSRM and figures linked to Vladimir Plahotniuc. It positions itself within networks including the European People's Party, engages with institutions such as the Council of Europe and the International Monetary Fund, and has influenced debates around Moldova’s relations with the European Union, Romania, and Russia.
The party was established by activists and politicians who split from formations connected to the Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova and civic movements that traced roots to protests against oligarchic influence exemplified by the fall of the Alliance for European Integration and controversies involving Vlad Plahotniuc. Early leadership included figures with experience in education reform, World Bank consultations, and NGO sectors that worked alongside actors from Transparency International and reformist networks around Vilnius Conference dialogues. PAS contested the Chișinău mayoral race and national contests during a period marked by court rulings from the Constitutional Court of Moldova, mass mobilizations similar to demonstrations seen in Euromaidan, and strategic alliances with centrist groups and anti‑corruption prosecutors linked to offices modeled on OLAF practices. After political crises and a reshuffle of parliamentary coalitions, the party consolidated power leading to victories in national and local elections, culminating in a presidential win that altered Moldova’s diplomatic trajectory with the European Commission and regional actors.
PAS articulates a platform grounded in Liberalism, Pro-Europeanism, and elements of Christian democracy, prioritizing accession to the European Union, judiciary reform inspired by precedents in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, and anti‑corruption measures mirroring recommendations from the Venice Commission. Economic positions draw on market liberalization models used by Poland and Slovakia, advocating privatization reforms discussed in forums like the World Economic Forum and fiscal consolidation advised by the International Monetary Fund. Social policy references frameworks from Council of Europe conventions and human rights jurisprudence from the European Court of Human Rights, while security stances consider the implications of NATO partnerships and regional dynamics shaped by the Transnistria conflict and bilateral ties with Romania and Ukraine.
Leadership has been dominated by figures including Maia Sandu who previously held roles in the Ministry of Education and served as a candidate in the 2020 presidential election. The party’s internal organs mirror structures found in parties like European People's Party member organizations with a National Political Council, executive secretariat, and regional branches active in Chișinău and districts formerly administered under authorities influenced by oligarchic networks such as those associated with Vlad Plahotniuc. PAS collaborates with international advisors from institutions including International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and NGO partners like Transparency International and engages with parliamentary groups in bodies like the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
PAS achieved significant results in the 2019 parliamentary election coalition dynamics and secured majorities in subsequent 2021 parliamentary election cycles in contests influenced by campaigning strategies comparable to those used by Civic Platform and Estonian Reform Party. In presidential contests, the party’s candidate defeated opponents supported by PSRM and oligarch-aligned coalitions in a runoff that drew observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and Council of Europe monitoring missions. Local election results shifted control in municipalities including Chișinău and regional councils where PAS replaced administrations linked to prior leadership controversies like the Billion Theft investigations and banking scandals tied to the 2014 bank fraud.
Domestically, PAS has clashed with parties such as the PSRM, Șor Party, and personalities connected to the Gagauzia autonomist movement, while working with civil society actors engaged in anti‑corruption litigation similar to cases brought before the European Court of Human Rights. Internationally, PAS pursued stronger ties with the European Union, sought association agreements modeled after the Association Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine, engaged with bilateral partners like Romania, and navigated security implications involving Russia and the Transnistria conflict—cooperating with multilateral institutions including the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in policy dialogues.
Critics have accused PAS of concentrating power in executive branches akin to critiques leveled at reformist administrations in Hungary and Poland, raising concerns noted by opposition parties such as PSRM and commentators with ties to Șor Party and oligarchic networks associated with Vlad Plahotniuc. Allegations include politicization of the judiciary referenced in reports by observers from the Venice Commission and disputes about media pluralism involving outlets with editorial lines comparable to coverage in Russia Today and regional broadcasters. Financial transparency debates draw parallels with reform challenges addressed by Transparency International and audit findings reminiscent of inquiries into the 2014 Moldovan bank fraud, while diplomatic frictions have emerged with actors aligned with Moscow and interlocutors in the Eurasian Economic Union.
Category:Political parties in Moldova