Moldovans to vote in crucial referendum

02/09/2010

Will changes to the way presidents are elected end Moldova's political crisis?

By Paul Ciocoiu for Southeast European Times in Bucharest -- 02/09/10

If Sunday's (September 5th) referendum passes, Moldovans will elect their president by popular vote. [Getty Images]

Around three million Moldovans are expected to hit polling stations Sunday (September 5th) to vote in a referendum that many consider key to the country's political stability. Through the vote, Moldovans will have their say on the ruling coalition's proposal to amend the constitution regarding presidential elections.

The initiative came after parliament failed twice to elect a new head of state following legislative elections on July 29th 2009.

After those elections, four pro-European parties -- the Democratic Party, the Liberal Party, the Liberal-Democratic Party and Our Moldova Alliance -- formed the current ruling Alliance for European Integration (AIE) with a slim majority of 53 of the 101 seats in parliament. All previous elections since independence had been won by the Moldovan Communist Party.

Although able to form a government, the alliance was seven votes short of ensuring its candidate, Democratic Party leader Marian Lupu, was elected president. With the communists solid in opposition, the country has entered a political standoff.

To end the political deadlock, the AIE decided in June to call a referendum to amend the constitution so the president is elected by popular vote -- a proposal validated by the Constitutional Court.

"I will not allow chaos to take over the country," Parliament Speaker and interim President Mihai Ghimpu said. He maintains that the crisis will end once a new head of state is elected.

If approved on Sunday, the country will hold presidential elections in November.

Polls show more than 75% of voters back the coalition's proposal. But even if it passes, the presidential candidate must face possible dissenting voices inside the ruling coalition.

Prime Minister Vlad Filat, leader of the Liberal Democrats, acknowledges he is seriously considering running for the post after polls showed his party enjoys the highest rate of confidence among the public.

In a recent interview with a Moldovan news site, Our Moldova Alliance leader Serafim Urechean said the internal power struggle increases the likelihood of the communists returning to power. Many analysts agree.

"The discord in AIE, which has intensified after interim President Ghimpu's decree on instituting the soviet occupation day, could benefit the communists. Taking advantage of the lack of consensus within the ruling coalition, Moscow, which supports the communists, could back Marian Lupu, who actually left the Communist Party about a year ago," Mediafax Senior Foreign Affairs Editor Iulia Enache told SETimes.

"This would ultimately lead to a new government through a reconfiguration of the parliamentary alliances," she said.

The scenario is even more plausible since communist leader Vladimir Voronin, who held the presidential office twice, cannot seek a third term. His party is desperately searching for a powerful candidate in November's election.

Regardless of the political games, Enache agrees the referendum is crucial to the political maturity of the former Soviet republic.

"Whoever becomes president will have more legitimacy and political independence than a head of state elected by the parliament. At the same time, the inter-institutional mechanism of control, parliament-presidency, will be consolidated."