Moldova appoints an outsider, Munteanu, as PM to push unpopular reforms, focusing on EU integration and Transnistria.
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The Moldovan parliament is set to approve the new government composition, with President Maia Sandu having selected the prime minister and cabinet members. The new prime minister is Alexandru Munteanu, a physicist and financier who is not a member of Sandu’s party and has no prior political involvement in Moldova, despite having lived in Ukraine for about 20 years and basing his main business operations in Kyiv. The government is expected to be temporary, with Munteanu potentially tasked with implementing unpopular reforms, such as addressing the Transnistrian issue.
Sandu’s selection of Munteanu, who is not from her party, suggests that the process was orchestrated by the president, as the parliamentary consultations were reportedly a formality. Munteanu’s background, including his strong ties to Ukraine and his lack of deep personal roots in Moldova, is seen as an advantage because it removes political obstacles to enacting difficult reforms.
The new government’s program centers on EU membership by 2028. Key figures in cross-border cooperation with Ukraine, including the deputy prime minister for European integration and the foreign minister, are expected to remain in place. Furthermore, the role of deputy prime minister for reintegration, concerning Transnistria, will be filled by Valeriu Chiveri, Moldova’s former ambassador to Kyiv. Munteanu’s willingness to openly discuss the necessity of resolving the Transnistrian issue, which has long been ignored by official Moldovan policy, suggests a shift toward addressing this problem, which is crucial for Moldova’s European integration goals.
