New Public Management and Good Governance in the Republic of Moldova: A Comparative Analysis

This article examines the relationship between New Public Management (NPM) and Good Governance in the Republic of Moldova through a comparative analysis of the SIGMA Report 2023 and the European Commission Report 2025. NPM is approached as a reform framework aimed at improving public-sector performance through efficiency, transparency, accountability, and results-oriented management. Using qualitative document analysis, the study compares the two reports’ analytical frameworks and key findings to assess how NPMrelated reforms are reflected in administrative practice and how they intersect with Good Governance principles. The results suggest that progress is more visible in areas such as strategic planning and public service digitalization, while limitations persist in performance management, institutional accountability, and administrative capacity, particularly in human resource management and coordination. Overall, the findings indicate that the effectiveness of NPM reforms depends on their integration with Good Governance mechanisms and on the consolidation of implementation capacities, which remain essential for advancing a more efficient, transparent, and citizen-oriented public administration in the Republic of Moldova.