Maia Sandu

Date of Birth: 24.05.1972

Maia Grigorievna Sandu – president of the Republic of Moldova since December 24, 2020. Minister of Education of the Republic of Moldova (2012–2015), Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova from June 8, 2019 to November 12, 2019.

Place of Birth. Education. She was born on May 24, 1972, in the village of Rîșipeni in the Fălești district, Moldova.

From 1989–1994, she studied at the Economic Academy of Moldova.

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From 1995 to 1998, she studied international relations at the Academy of Public Management under the President of Moldova.

In 2010, she graduated from the Kennedy Institute at Harvard University.

Career. From July 1, 1994, Maia Sandu served as the main specialist for cooperation with the European Union and Black Sea countries in the Department of International Relations of the Ministry of Economy of Moldova, and in June 1996 she became a consultant in the General Directorate for cooperation with international economic organizations.

From 1997 to 1998 – acting deputy director of the General Directorate for cooperation with international economic organizations.

From 1998 to 1999 – consultant, and from 1999 to 2005 – economist at the World Bank office in Chișinău.

From 2005 to 2006, she worked at the Ministry of Economy of Moldova as director of the General Directorate of Macroeconomic Policy and Development Programs.

From March–September 2007, she was the coordinator of programs under the UN Development Program in Moldova, and from 2007 to 2009, she held the position of consultant on central public administration reform.

From 2010 to 2012, Maia Sandu was a consultant to the Executive Director of the World Bank in Washington, D.C., United States.

On July 24, 2012, Sandu was appointed Minister of Education. As a minister, she began implementing a range of reforms, including changing the regulations for conducting national exams. The system for controlling the exam process was strengthened, metal detectors were installed at the entrances to exam centers for bachelor's degree, and surveillance cameras were installed in all lecture halls. Meanwhile, all exam papers of students found cheating were canceled, and the students themselves lost their right to retake exams in an additional session.

Political Career. On December 22, 2015, Sandu announced the establishment of her own political project– the Action and Solidarity Party.

In October 2016, she took second place in the first round of the presidential elections in Moldova, receiving 38% of the votes. She was preceded by Igor Dodon, the leader of the socialists, who received 48% of the votes. The second round of elections took place on November 13, and Sandu received almost 48% of the votes and lost to Dodon (52%).

On June 8, 2019, she was elected the 13th Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova. On the same day, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Moldova ruled that Maia Sandu's appointment as Prime Minister was unconstitutional. A political crisis erupted, and Pavel Filip (Prime Minister until June 8, 2019) refused to hand over power. On June 15, the Constitutional Court overturned its decisions, Vladimir Plahotniuc left the country, and Sandu's government remained the only legitimate government.

On November 12, 2019, the Moldovan parliament voted for the resignation of the government of the republic headed by Maia Sandu.

In July 2020, the Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) nominated Maia Sandu for the presidency. In the first round of elections held on November 1, she took first place with 36.16% of the votes, while the incumbent president Igor Dodon took second place with 32.61% of the votes. After the results of the second round held on November 15, Maia Sandu achieved a convincing victory over the incumbent president Igor Dodon, receiving 57.75% (943,486 votes), while Igor Dodon received 42.25% (690,141) and was elected as the first female president in the history of the Republic of Moldova.

Visions. Maia Sandu sees the future of Moldova in further rapprochement with Europe.

Personal Life. Unmarried, no children.

10.06.2023.