A legal specialist by training, Dorin Chirtoaca launched in politics in 2005 as deputy chairman of the Moldovan Liberal Party (PL), led by his uncle, Mihai Ghimpu.

In 2007 Mr. Chirtoaca got elected as the mayor of Chisinau. At the age of 28, he became the youngest mayor of the Moldovan capital. In 2011 Mr. Chirtoaca was re-elected, defeating his Socialist opponent Igor Dodon in the second round. In 2015 he wins his third consecutive mandate in the first round, defeating Zinaida Greceanii, a Socialist too.

On 26 May 2017, Mr. Chirtoaca was arrested on charges of misuse of office in the so-called “Paid Parking Lot Dossier”. Along with the mayor, this case involved seven more individuals including his subordinates and businessman Alexandru Pincevschi.

In July 2017 Mr. Chirtoaca saw himself suspended from office. Almost one year later, on 16 February 2018, the mayor handed down his resignation.

On 1 December 2018 Dorin Chirtoaca was elected as chairman of PL.

In the February 2019 parliamentary elections, Mr. Chirtoaca ran for a seat on behalf of Constituency # 32 - Chisinau, which includes his native village Colonita, but he was able to retain only fourth place among six candidates.

He is the candidate of the Unirea electoral bloc for the president on 1 November 2020 -one of the eight candidates competing for the top government job. In the first round of the election, he receives 1.2% of the votes.