Who is going to be PM of Moldova?

The political situation in the Republic of Moldova remains complicated.

Ştefan Stoica, 24.02.2021, 13:50

Maia Sandu’s victory in last years presidential election reopened the European path for the small ex-Soviet state with a majority Romanian-speaking population, neighboring Romania. And the first gestures and actions of the new leader in Chisinau, including the reception of the Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, have confirmed her intention to re-establish ties with Bucharest and Brussels, which were practically suspended during the previous socialist government. However, the enthusiasm caused by her election subsided in the face of analyzes that showed that, in the context of a hostile parliament and limited constitutional powers, Maia Sandu will find it difficult, if not impossible, to succeed in her reforming approach. The solution would be early elections, followed by the installation of a Government that should be her partner. For now, this scenario seems quite unlikely.

On Tuesday, the Constitutional Court of Moldova declared unconstitutional the decree by which Maia Sandu once again appointed Natalia Gavriliţă to form a new Government. The court also called on parliamentary groups and the presidency to have new consultations for the appointment of a prime minister, especially since the head of state did not nominate a candidate backed by a parliamentary majority. Maia Sandu had announced on February 11, after consultations with parliamentary groups, that she had once again proposed Natalia Gavriliţă, already rejected, once, as the candidate for the position of prime minister, practically forcing the possibility of holding early elections.

Following the Courts ruling, Maia Sandu compared the current situation in the Republic of Moldova with that at the end of 2015, when the former Democratic leader Vlad Plahotniuc created a parliamentary majority close to him and the President Nicolae Timofti was forced to nominate a candidate from that majority to the position of Prime Minister. Maia Sandu continues to plead for early parliamentary elections and asked the deputies, “who are not caught in the mafia network”, to go that way. President Maia Sandu believes that there is no majority in the current Parliament to support the fight against corruption and has expressed skepticism over the MPs’ intention to get the country out of the crisis. “Their so-called majority has nothing to do with saving the country. The country must be saved from thieves ” said the Moldovan President.

From the opposite side, the Socialists leader, the former President Igor Dodon, accused Sandu of having seriously violated the Constitution and called on her to immediately issue the decree appointing a legal candidate the prime minister position, recalling that the majority formed around the Socialists did have a proposal for prime minister. Otherwise, the Socialists threaten with protests.

According to a recent opinion poll in Chisinau, 42% of the respondents believe that, in the current political situation, the main priority was the formation of a new government and 39% are in favor of early elections. (tr. L. Simion)