Stepan Mikhailovich Topal (18 January 1938 – 29 September 2018)[citation needed] was a Moldovan politician of Gagauz ancestry.

In September 1990, individuals representing the mostly Slavic inhabitants of the Dniester River's east bank proclaimed a separate entity in Transnistria with a capital at Tiraspol.

Later, the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova adopted an even broader law, which confers a special autonomous status on Gagauzia as of 23 December 1994.

None of the four candidates for the governorship (Gheorghe Tabunșcic, Mihail Kendighelean, Dumitru Croitor and Stepan Topal) won the votes needed to be elected in the first round.

When the election was repeated two weeks later, the local electoral commission barred Topal from running, citing irregularities in his filing papers.