# Heart of Moldova Republican Party

The Heart of Moldova Republican Party (Romanian: Partidul Republican „Inima Moldovei”; PRIM; lit. 'first') is a Moldovan political party founded by the former governor of Gagauzia and 2024 presidential candidate Irina Vlah. Earlier, in 2023, Irina Vlah founded the non-partisan political organization Platform Moldova. The party positions itself as left-conservative and advocating for diplomatic neutrality.

## History
### Background

Irina Vlah began her political career in the Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova (PCRM). From 2009 to 2014, Vlah represented the PCRM in Parliament, and in 2014 she left the communist faction, accusing them of collaborating with the then pro-European alliances. In 2015, she left the PCRM.
In 2015, with the support of the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova, Irina Vlah won the Gagauzian gubernatorial election. In 2019, she was re-elected with a record percentage of over 91% of the votes.

### Platform Moldova

On 16 November 2023, Irina Vlah created the non-partisan public organization Platform Moldova (Romanian: Platforma Moldova). In her announcement, she criticized the "unprecedented split in society and the distance between the pseudo-political elite and the people" and called on the opposition forces to Maia Sandu, both left-wing and right-wing, to unite.

### Heart of Moldova Republican Party

Irina Vlah presented the name of her future party, Heart of Moldova Republican Party, at a press conference on 5 November 2024. The founding congress of PRIM took place on 16 November 2024. The PRIM party was officially registered on 2 December 2024 under number 83.
The party plans to take part in the 2025 parliamentary election, also intending to initiate a referendum on the permanent neutrality of the Republic of Moldova by election day.

## Ideology

Ideologically, the party calls itself "left of centre", adhering to a conservative doctrine." According to Irina Vlah, the "absolute priority" of the party is to ensure peace. In her presidential campaign, Irina Vlah positioned herself as the "president of peace".
Also, according to Vlah, the party's ideology reflects the programmatic points of its presidential program, such as "ending the demographic crisis, returning from dictatorship to democracy, pursuing a balanced foreign policy based on the interests of the state, ensuring an independent and professional justice system, a real fight against corruption, an economy based on investments, on clear and stimulating rules of the game, an effective system of social protection, new approaches in health care, education and culture, ensuring the settlement of the Transnistrian conflict."
PRIM leader Irina Vlah believes that 2025 will be an "extremely difficult" year, due to the consequences of the energy crisis, which "will put even more pressure on already poor people".
Irina Vlah calls herself pro-European, but emphasizes that Europe is "not about flags on buildings," but about social reforms. She calls for maintaining geopolitical neutrality and ties with both Europe and Russia.

## Criticism

Some Moldovan political scientists suspect Irina Vlah of being "part of the Kremlin's strategy" disguised as an ideologically pro-European candidate. PAS MP Radu Marian called Vlah's Platform Moldova project "Kremlin Platform".