On 20 July 2026 President Maia Sandu met with all deputies of the Popular Assembly of Gagauzia in Comrat to discuss the organization of the upcoming elections. The meeting was held at the Presidential Administration and the deputies expressed support for applying the same proportional electoral system used in national parliamentary, local and regional elections.

The Presidential Administration clarified that the previous solution drafted by a mixed working group - composed of representatives of the Presidency, Parliament, the Popular Assembly and the Central Electoral Commission - cannot be applied because it was not approved by the APG plenary and conflicts with the Constitutional Court's ruling. The Court has decided that elections in the autonomy must follow the same principles, rules and electoral system as the rest of Moldova.

To implement the Court's decision Parliament must adopt a draft amendment to the Electoral Code. The amendment is expected to be introduced soon so that the elections for the Popular Assembly can be held in the autumn of 2026. A unified electoral framework is intended to guarantee equal conditions for all candidates and to allow the citizens of Gagauzia to exercise a free and fair vote.

The discussions also touched on clarifying the competences between central and autonomous authorities and fully applying the Law on the special legal status of Gagauzia. The talks will continue on 21 July with the participation of mayors from the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia. The outcome is important for resolving the institutional crisis that has delayed the elections since the previous mandate expired in November 2025.