This article is dedicated to the problem of civilizational orientations of Moldavian youth. The timeliness of this subject is defined by the fact that the cultural- civilisational choice of the Republic of Moldova is largely dependent on young people ages 16 to 25. Sociological research data confirms apparent prevalence of pro-Western and pro-European identity in the notions of college-going young persons. At the same time the number of young people of neutral position on this question is significant. They identify Moldova either as an intermediary between Western and Eastern sides of socio-cultural attraction or as a different civilization model entirely. The article points that the Republic of Moldova is a polyethnic and multicultural state. Which is why the civilizational orientation of youth is largely defined by their ethnicity: Moldavian youth has a more pronounced European orientation, as opposed to Slavic youth, whose European orientation is less pronounced. Even less so these orientations appear in Transnistrian youth, regardless of ethnicity. This being said, the youth on the territory of Moldova, with an exception of Transnistria, has a stable civic identity. Approximately 80% of respondents identify themselves as citizens of the Republic of Moldova; notably this is true for all ethnic groups. Authors indicate that present-day Moldavian youth has not developed political identification. They find the following reasons for this: lack of social consolidation encouraging ideas on the part of the state; ineffective youth politics; low level of social protection for youth. At the same time the youth finds traditional values important: health, family, happiness, success, freedom. The article highlights the fact that among the most significant values appear these associated with liberalization and democratization of social relationships: i.e., success and freedom. Today the European choice is an existential problem for the Moldavian society. The solution of this problem could be a stable equilibrium, the middle way, that is, the preservation of national characteristics integrated into the European civilization.