Political party leadership practices in Moldova lack value-based standards for promoting individuals and ideas, making it difficult for young activists to participate fully in party activities, to make a contribution to the party and steadily assume greater responsibility.
As a result, opportunities for young politicians are often limited to basic campaign activities such as the distribution of election materials. Seeking to address this issue, WFD has supported a project that aimed to provide youth members of Moldovan political parties with the capacity to assert themselves within their organisations. Activities consisted of leadership training sessions for young party members and civil society activists, as well as a summer school with a mock electoral campaign. This also contributed to the strengthening of political parties through empowering young party leaders and promoting a value-based and democratic party system in Moldova.
There is evidence that the knowledge acquired by the participants has enabled them to conduct follow-up activities within their parties. One activist, for example, conducted training for other youth members of her party while another hosted a summer school for young activists from rural areas. Numerous participants were also subsequently promoted within their parties; some are now running as candidates in different elections, one has been appointed deputy chair of their party’s youth branch, and one non-party participant has since been taken on by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
For more information on our work in Moldova, please contact
Alex.Romaniuc@wfd.org