Moldova: From poster child to democratic decay

This study assesses the major factors and actors responsible for the democratic decay and the spread of illiberal and authoritarian forms of government in Moldova. Following an in-depth case study of Moldovan political and socio-economic developments, it identifies the context-specific domestic and external factors (Russian influence) and actors undermining democratic processes and institutions. The empirical findings reveal the illiberal practices and authoritarian tendencies and place the country among the "grey zone" regimes or hybrid regimes in the postcommunist space. The study provides rich empirical evidence of the various blends of formal democratic elements with illiberal authoritarian tendencies, identified since the early 1990s and until the present. The common features are the strong clientelistic power network, informal politics and patronage, violating the norms of liberal democracy and leading to bad leadership and bad governance.