BUCHAREST — On Sunday, Sept. 5, Moldovans will go to the polls to participate in a Constitutional referendum that would allow for the president to be elected directly by the people, and not by the parliament as it is now. The need to change Article 78 of the Constitution was triggered by the failure twice of the Moldovan Parliament to elect the president (61 votes needed), mainly because the Communist Party refused to vote (they are the largest faction with 48 seats out of 101). In order to put an end to the year-long political crisis, the ruling Alliance for European Integration (AEI), comprising four liberal and democratic parties, decided to change the constitution so that the president is elected by a popular vote.
A recent survey shows that approximately 73% of Moldovans are ready to take part in this referendum, with 91% of respondents intending to vote in favor of changing the constitution. The referendum needs a 33% voter turnout to be validated, as per the recent legislative changes introduced by the parliament. The four ruling parties, including Prime Minister Vlad Filat’s Liberal Democratic Party and Acting President Mihai Ghimpu’s Liberal Party, are in favor of changing the constitution and are inviting voters to go to the polls. They rely on substantive support from Moldovans living abroad. In order to obtain that support, the ruling coalition increased the number of polling stations to include new locations that are outside of Moldovan embassies and successfully appealed to the Central Election Commission to allow voters with expired passports.
On the other hand, the opposition Communist Party led by former president Vladimir Voronin, along with a couple of small, left-oriented parties, are against the referendum and are inviting voters to boycott it.
If the referendum is a success, presidential elections would be held in the fall of 2010, most likely together with early parliamentary elections. The rumored date for both elections is November 14, but it hasn’t been announced officially. It is up to Acting President Mihai Ghimpu to make this date official, after which he must dissolve the parliament. Along with the current legislature, the current executive might also step down, acting as a temporary government until a new legislature is elected, which then should legitimize another, or the same, cabinet.
If the referendum is not validated, which is unlikely, the uncertainty of political situation in the country would continue. Most probably the parliament would not be dissolved until an agreement is reached with the Communist faction in order to change in the parliament the procedure of electing the president.
At the same time, it is clear that the ruling alliance will not have a common candidate for the presidential post. Prime Minster Vlad Filat and the Democratic Party Leader Marian Lupu are not hiding their presidential ambitions. Mihai Ghimpu also stated that his Liberal Party would field its own candidate for this post. Although Communist leader Voronin is not eligible to run for another presidential term, having held two consecutive terms, the Communist Party still has a strong support base (35%) and a communist nominee will certainly create competition for other candidates.
For more than a year now, the current government has made concrete and sound steps in starting, and gradually implementing, the necessary reforms to get Moldova closer to the European Union. The kind of support that the international partners are now offering Moldova is unprecedented, and this should continue. If this referendum needs to be successful in order for Moldova to obtain political stability, then so be it. The Moldovan people deserve a chance for a better life and a realistic perspective toward European integration.
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