Institutional Performance and Party Cues: Their Influence on Individual Geopolitical Preferences. The Case of Moldova (2012-2019)

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between institutional trust and party cues, and individual geopolitical preferences in Moldova. Based on the idea that deciding whether to join either the EU or the EAEU is a complex decision, I argue that the use of national proxies could help some Moldovans in shaping their geopolitical preferences. Using survey data (2012–2019) and multilevel logistic regression, I show that citizens who trust the national institutions tend to align with the geopolitical preferences of those in charge of said institutions. Similarly, voters tend to support the geopolitical views of their preferred political parties.