This is a reference for Teodora Panuş

Democracy in Moldova: Political Context Briefing for Election Observers

The training activity took place
in Chișinău, Moldova
organised by Silba – Initiative for Dialogue and Democracy (Denmark)
20 October 2024

Aims & objectives

The session briefed up to 30 Danish participants — arriving in Moldova in the context of the constitutional referendum on EU membership and the presidential elections — on the current state of Moldovan democracy and politics. It aimed to give observers on-the-ground context they couldn't get from outside: how Moldova's political landscape is structured, where democratic processes stand, how youth engage with decision-making, and what the referendum and elections meant in practice for Moldovan society.

Target group & international/intercultural composition of the group & team

Up to 30 participants from Denmark, in Chișinău as part of a SILBA election observation mission. Teodora served as a Moldovan expert and practitioner, facilitating a direct knowledge exchange between a local civil society leader and an international observer group.

Training methods used & main activities

The 2-hour in-person session combined structured expert input with open discussion and Q&A — adapted from Teodora's online format to a smaller offline group. The reduced group size (vs. the 100-person online cohort) allowed for more direct exchange: participants brought their own observations and questions from the field, and the session responded to those in real time alongside the prepared content

Outcomes of the activity

Participants left with a grounded, insider perspective on Moldova's democratic institutions, youth participation structures, and the political dynamics behind the referendum and elections. The session gave observers the civic and political context needed to interpret what they were witnessing on the ground.

Your tasks and responsibilities within the team

Teodora designed and delivered the full session as the sole expert facilitator. She drew on her direct experience as the former President of CNTM and her work on EU integration and youth policy to provide participants with an analysis unavailable from public sources alone.

I worked on this training for 1 days as a full time trainer.

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