Thomas Kent writes about how Moldova approved a constitutional referendum on EU membership on October 20 by a razor-thin margin which raised concern about its pro-Western trajectory (CEPA, Oct. 24, 2024).

The so-so news was that the pro-Western bid to have European Union (EU) membership enshrined in the constitution only just passed by 50.46% to 49.54%. The better news? That we’ve seen this movie before and it had a happy(ish) ending.

Six years ago, in the Western Balkans, a referendum on joining the EU and NATO also ended with a result that many found unclear and troubling.

But with substantial efforts by pro-Western Macedonians and their international allies, the shaky referendum result in 2018 ultimately solidified into a clear Western turn for the nation. With luck and determination, Moldova could see a similar result.