Global Journal of Human Social Science, F: Political Science, Volume 23 Issue 6

The dominant indicator of belonging to the diaspora is the migrants’ deliberate desire to maintain their ties with their country of origin, to contribute to its sustainable development. In this regard one can speak of both the Moldovan migrants’ participation in the political and electoral processes and of their socio- economic input into Moldova’s development as a whole, and into its local communities in particular. The forms of diaspora’s activity in political and socio-economic processes of the country of origin are quite varied. Specialized scientific literature identifies different forms of diaspora participation in the life of the country of origin: voting; political representation; direct investments; remittances; financing; support or direct action (Gottschlich, 2006). Turning to the analysis of Moldovan migrants’ participation in the political process, we should note that the most widespread form of political activity in the communities is participation in elections, which allows migrants to exercise their right and gives them the ability to express their political attitudes, and to influence the political life of their homeland. For this reason the Republic of Moldova, like many other states, strives to reach out to its citizens that are staying abroad, in order to attract their support for the development of their homeland. In the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova the Moldovan diaspora is represented by three deputies. We should underline that previously Moldovan communities abroad were viewed primarily as an object of political influence. Today this is gradually changing, with the communities becoming an increasingly important subject of political life of the Republic of Moldova. The number of Moldovan citizens abroad that participate in homeland parliamentary and presidential elections is constantly growing. As such, 212 thousand Moldovan migrants participated in 2021 parliamentary elections. The number of participants in the presidential (2020) elections was as high as 263 thousand. This allows the diaspora to influence the political and state decision-making processes in Moldova. The diaspora’s voting became the object of close attention of the Moldovan authorities in the last two decades. The current electoral system limits the possibilities of external voting, the sole variant of which is personal voting at diplomatic missions or at additionally-established polling stations. There are no other options for Moldovan citizens staying abroad nowadays, whereas other countries have already implemented the practice of e-voting, voting by post, by fax, by e-mail, etc. © 2023 Global Journals Volume XXIII Issue VI Version I 40 Global Journal of Human Social Science - Year 2023 ( ) F The Transformation of Moldovan Migrant Communities into the Moldovan Diaspora in the European Union: The Main Directions and Mechanisms aimed at maintaining relations/ ties to the homeland, the country of origin; at consolidation of their ethnic migrant communities in the host country, which manifests as participation in the diaspora associations' activities (organizations, institutions). Not all people that came from the country of origin (in our case, from Moldova) to the country of destination are a diaspora. Only those that seek to, and indeed, actively maintain their ties to their homeland, those who manifest and strengthen these ties are a diaspora (Mosneaga, 2017, p. 17). Today the question regarding the regulation of migration flows, minimization of negative consequences of migration, development and implementation of state policy for the consolidation of the diaspora, as well as for the return and reintegration of Moldovan migrants is put at the forefront. At the same time, the Republic of Moldova is taking measures to utilize the positive potential of the diaspora for the sustainable development of the country of origin. The Moldovan diaspora is providing aid and collaboration to its home- country, both at a national and ant a local level. It can become a functional development tool in the interest of its communities in the country of origin. The issues in the formation of Moldovan communities and diaspora became the object of scientific analysis of Moldovan researchers starting with the second half of the 2000’s. V. Mosneaga pioneered the research of three aspects (migration, Moldovan communities abroad, Moldovan diaspora in the European Union), both individually and in co-authorship with other scientists, and published numerous works on this subject (Mosneaga, Tsurcan, 2012; Mosneaga, 2017; Mosneaga, Mosneaga, 2019). D. Cheianu-Andrei charted the Moldovan diaspora in certain EU countries as well (Cheianu-Andrei, 2013). Based on the results of the sociological researched conducted by the authors in 2022-2023 among Moldovan migrants in European Union countries, the article will analyze the primary destinations and mechanisms of transformation of Moldovan migrant communities into diasporas. Among these we identify: participation in political and socio-economic processes of the country of origin; development of the Moldovan communities’ institutional potential; the policies of the Republic of Moldova on the consolidation of the Moldovan diaspora. Qualitative research was conducted among Moldovan migrants in European Union countries, as well as in the UK, Norway, and Switzerland, where there is a large number of residing and working citizens of the Republic of Moldova. In total, 513 respondents were interviewed. institutionalize by way of deliberate collective activity II. T he P articipation of M oldovan M igrants in the P olicital and S ocio- E conomic P rocesses in the R epublic of M oldova