Grigore Vieru: Tineri eram
Following historic elections and a decisive referendum, Moldova’s youth are stepping into a new era. This article explores their hopes and efforts as they embrace the opportunities and values offered by the European Union, striving for a brighter, more stable future.
The lines of the Moldovan poet resonate with the situation of today’s Moldovan youth, for under a new and different sky, a new star shines light for Moldovan youth: the European Union. This sui generis entity appears like a strange celestial body in the life of Moldovan society, one around which it orbits, even if this orbit is irregular and unstable, and even if some foreign meteors strike, causing the planet to completely deviate from its path.
Words to Dialogue
We may ask whether Moldovan youth can declare the following about the EU: Și credem în cuvinte – And we believe in words.
In words that have grown stronger since 2014, as it was in that year that the European Parliament issued a resolution declaring that, in accordance with Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine, as well as any other European country, have a European perspective and may apply for EU membership (if they meet the principles of democracy, respect for fundamental freedoms and human rights, minority rights, and the rule of law).
Since 2022, these words have transformed into dialogue, as Moldova obtained candidate status that year. One year later the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the future of Moldova is “in our Union.”
Finally, in 2024, Moldova confirmed its place in the Union, with 50.35% voting in favor of EU membership in a referendum, followed by the re-election of its pro-European president, Maia Sandu, with 55.41%.
Moldovan Youth’s
“All of us here carry the values of the European Union, which we will pass on. These are human rights, equality, and peace. Together, we can bring Europe home to Moldova.” – Representative of the Erasmus Student Network Moldova
The dataindicates that young people between the ages of 18-29 are far more likely to support the EU (59%) than older Moldovans. Support for the EU drops to 47% among Moldovans aged 30-49, and to just 34% among the 50+ population.
In recent years, more and more Moldovan youth have taken an interest in the European Union, opening up to the West in parallel. As a result, Moldova, historically and economically tied to Russia and its predecessor states, has entered a new era—where the red star has been replaced by twelve yellow ones—whose driving force and central hope is none other than the European Union. Among young people, there is an increasingly strong desire for a more stable, democratic, civil, European future, and the main drivers of this change are education, mobility programs, and online access to global information.
The EU as a hope for a brighter future
Thus, for Moldovan youth, the EU represents not only economic but also social and cultural opportunities. For many of them, the Union is closely associated with the concepts of freedom, prosperity, and justice. The enthusiasm for the institution is partly due to the promise of better educational and employment opportunities that the EU can offer, as economic stability and the chance for professional development are essential issues for young people. The EU4Youth initiative, for example, supports projects aimed at increasing youth employment opportunities and bridging the gap between educational and labor market needs—areas critical for a young generation affected by economic conditions and that could address the statistic: a clear majority of Moldovans (76%) do not think young people have a “good future in Moldova,” and more than 60 % believe employment should be “the government’s first priority regarding Moldovan youth.”
Therefore, in education, more and more Moldovan youth are participating in EU-funded exchange programs, such as Erasmus+, which involved more than 3,600 participants between the EU and Moldova in education, training, youth, and sport (2014–2020). These programs allow them to study and gain professional experience in EU countries. They not only provide professional advantages but also foster cultural openness and commitment to European values.
The Government, the EU, and Youth:
“Let us begin to look at Moldova with pride. We have champions, we have inventors, we have Moldovans around the world who have founded successful companies, we have beautiful lands and young people who impress with their abilities, we have the best food and the most beautiful dances. We can strengthen Europe through what we are – a European country with exceptional traditions and valuable people.” – Maia Sandu [President of Moldova]
The European Union, the government, and youth are on a common platform, striving toward a common goal: the creation of a European Moldova. In this, the three parties mutually support one another. Young people demonstrate their will for the future, exemplified by events such as the youth-organized march supporting Moldova’s European path.
The president also counts on the votes and cooperation of young people, who were a decisive force in the latest election, communicated on the platform most significant for Generation Z, TikTok: “Dear young people, thank you so much for coming out to vote in large numbers! Encourage your friends so that we can set a record youth turnout today!” – Maia Sandu [President of Moldova]
The European Union “illuminates” this dynamic by advancing Moldova’s integration, strengthening relationships, and through the youth programs mentioned in this article.
We can observe with our telescopes that the Moldovan planet is increasingly settling into a stable orbit around the star called Europe, which can bring light, life, and prosperity to it. Simultaneously, the planet can also reflect this light, as Moldovan youth possess immense potential, which could appear as a new shining point in the sky, joining other planets. Together, they could form new, constantly evolving, meaningful, and defining constellations around Europe, as the various—literally—positions form a coherent whole united in diversity.
Alt aer, alt cer, alte Stele – Different Air, Different Sky, Different Star
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