Petrușeni

According to the 2014 Moldovan census, Petrușeni had a population of 956 residents.^[1] The village covers an area of 19.5 km², resulting in a population density of approximately 49 inhabitants per square kilometer as of 2014. Over the decade from 2004 to 2014, Petrușeni experienced a population decline of 2.5%.^[3]

Men slightly outnumbered women, comprising 52.4% of the population, compared to 47.6% female. In terms of age distribution, 15.3% of residents were under the age of 15, 69.6% were of working age (15–64), and 15.2% were aged 65 and older. The entire population lived in rural areas.^[3]

Nearly all residents (97.9%) were born in Moldova, with a small number (2.1%) originating from other countries within the Commonwealth of Independent States. The ethnic composition was predominantly Moldovans (95.2%), with small numbers of Romanians (2.5%), Ukrainians (1.7%), and Russians (0.6%). Moldovan was the most commonly spoken native language, reported by 87% of residents, followed by Romanian (10.6%), Russian (1.3%), and Ukrainian (1.2%). The vast majority of the population (97.9%) identified as Orthodox, with 2.1% adhering to other religions.^[3]

Petrușeni is governed by a local council composed of nine members. The most recent local elections, in November 2023, resulted in the following composition: 4 councillors from the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova, 3 councillors from the European Social Democratic Party, and 2 councillor from the Party of Action and Solidarity. The Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova and the Chance Political Party also ran, but didn't get enough votes to select councillors.^[4] In the same elections, the candidate from the European Social Democratic Party, Natalia Ciobanu, was elected as mayor with a 65.16% majority of the vote.^[5]