NDI Poll: Moldovans Believe Anti-Corruption Measures Improving, Perceive Less Corruption Across All Sectors; Greater Trust Towards Authorities Provides Opportunity for Further Action.

Poll results released by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) show that Moldovans are increasingly optimistic about the government’s efforts to tackle corruption. However, despite this progress, corruption is still perceived as a persistent, country-wide challenge.

Approximately three-quarters of Moldovans continue to believe that corruption is widespread in the country, consistent with results in 2023 and 2024. Among the top reasons Moldovans cite for engaging in corrupt actions, the top two are linked to economic anxiety – low wages (35 percent) and poverty (30.9 percent).

At the same time, a quarter of respondents believe corruption has decreased over the last three years, compared to approximately 18 percent in 2023 and 17 percent in 2024. Moldovans report less corruption across all institutions and sectors, with notable declines reported for the presidency, government agencies and parliament, as well as the education, justice and energy sectors. Trust in authorities to combat corruption has also increased, most notably for mayors (54.1 percent), the president (48.2 percent), and the police (43 percent).

Ahead of the September 2025 parliamentary elections, a majority of Moldovans (67.9 percent) believed that vote buying would pose a problem. Nonetheless, most Moldovans (over 70 percent) reject the practice, emphasizing the importance of voting according to one’s conscience and expressing disapproval toward those who trade their votes for gifts or money. Respondents identified fines (81.5 percent) and increased voter education (69.2 percent) as the most effective measures to curb vote buying.

NDI conducts public opinion surveys to help Moldovan stakeholders identify and address issues of public concern by providing accurate, unbiased and statistically sound data. This poll aims to capture insights that support the development of responsive policies and effective governance. The results reflect data collected between June 21 andJuly 2, 2025, through in-person interviews with a nationwide representative sample of Moldova’s adult population (ages 18 and older), excluding the Transnistrian region. The July survey included 1,234 completed interviews, with an average margin of error of +/- 3 percent.

The full survey can be found here.

Survey fieldwork was carried out by CBS-Research.