Moldovan parliamentary election, July 2009

Moldovan parliamentary election
Moldova
29 July 2009
All the 101 seats to the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova

  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Vladimir Voronin Vlad Filat Mihai Ghimpu
Party PCRM Liberal Democratic Liberal
Leader since 1994 2007 2005
Last election 60 15 15
Seats won 48 18 15
Seat change −12 +3 ±0
Popular vote 706,630 261,265 230,698
Percentage 44.76 16.55 14.61
  Fourth party Fifth party
 
Leader Marian Lupu Serafim Urechean
Party Democratic AMN
Leader since 2009 2003
Last election 0 11
Seats won 13 7
Seat change +13 −4
Popular vote 198,114 116,088
Percentage 12.55 7.35

Election results at district level: Communists (red) Combined opposition parties (blue)
Moldova
This article is part of a series on the
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Administrative divisions

Early parliamentary elections were held in Moldova on 29 July 2009.[1][2] The Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova won 48 of the 101 seats, but lost the majority they had won in the April elections.

Background

The country's parliament, elected months earlier, was dissolved by president Vladimir Voronin on 15 June 2009,[1] after it had twice failed to elect a new president.

Before the dissolution of the parliament, the electoral threshold was lowered from 6% to 5% and the minimum participation rate was lowered from half the electorate to a third of the electorate.[3] A poll from mid-July gave the PCRM only 29.7%, with the combined opposition (including the Democratic Party of Moldova now led by PCRM defector Marian Lupu) at over 40%.[4] PCRM leader Voronin did not rule out entering into a "grand coalition" with the opposition parties if the election results were inconclusive.[5]

Conduct

Five Ukrainian election observers within the European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations (ENEMO) were deported from Moldova the day before the elections. According to the expelled observers, the Central Election Commission of Moldova registered only 55 of the 140 observers from ENEMO.[6]

Results

Voronin's party, the Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova, received around 45% of the vote, whilst the other four parties that won seats each received from around 7% to 16%.[7] However, the combined opposition parties secured more seats, and went in discussion over forming a coalition.[7] This has led some commentators to declare the election a loss for the Communists.[7][8]

Party Votes % Seats +/–
Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova706,73244.748–12
Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova262,02816.618+3
Liberal Party232,10814.7150
Democratic Party of Moldova198,26812.513+13
Our Moldova Alliance116,1947.37–4
Christian-Democratic People's Party30,2361.900
Social Democratic Party29,4341.900
Ecologist Party of Moldova "Green Alliance"6,5170.40New
Invalid/blank votes10,240–––
Total1,591,7571001010
Registered voters/turnout2,603,15861.1––
Source: eDemocracy

By district

# District Registered Voted Turnout Valid votes PCRM PLDM PL PDM AMN PPCD PSD PEMAVE
1 Chişinău 618,910 385,179 62.24% 383,344 41.23% 16.89% 23.14% 10.55% 5.62% 1.15% 0.96% 0.47%
2 Bălţi 107,163 57,245 53.42% 56,894 58.16% 12.82% 7.64% 15.60% 2.87% 1.15% 1.33% 0.43%
3 Găgăuzia 103,517 57,690 55.73% 57,276 77.78% 1.28% 0.43% 5.88% 3.73% 0.69% 9.87% 0.35%
4 Anenii Noi 70,140 39,649 56.53% 39,402 47.92% 18.04% 14.26% 11.05% 5.13% 2.11% 1.08% 0.41%
5 Basarabeasca 17,098 12,560 73.46% 12,481 52.05% 13.25% 5.50% 10.49% 7.59% 1.22% 9.26% 0.64%
6 Briceni 58,089 35,468 61.06% 35,207 57.61% 9.60% 7.27% 14.63% 7.09% 2.08% 1.32% 0.41%
7 Cahul 92,173 53,594 58.15% 53,303 38.36% 23.52% 15.89% 10.66% 7.69% 2.37% 1.20% 0.32%
8 Cantemir 43,480 25,761 59.25% 25,596 40.81% 24.93% 11.04% 10.07% 9.79% 1.74% 1.13% 0.48%
9 Călăraşi 60,966 34,020 55.80% 33,794 32.10% 17.59% 19.71% 10.02% 16.35% 2.25% 1.49% 0.49%
10 Căuşeni 69,108 39,285 56.85% 39,041 44.26% 12.46% 12.12% 8.91% 16.78% 3.78% 1.29% 0.39%
11 Cimişlia 44,665 25,686 57.51% 25,541 43.98% 16.51% 9.33% 16.10% 10.50% 1.81% 1.41% 0.37%
12 Criuleni 57,324 34,331 59.89% 34,069 34.23% 16.85% 20.11% 13.29% 11.18% 2.92% 1.04% 0.38%
13 Donduşeni 33,223 21,378 64.35% 21,199 58.94% 10.08% 5.57% 14.16% 3.91% 3.72% 3.26% 0.37%
14 Drochia 67,723 39,324 58.07% 39,055 49.69% 16.22% 8.57% 16.28% 5.13% 2.03% 1.71% 0.36%
15 Dubăsari 25,286 16,230 64.19% 16,099 67.92% 8.55% 7.51% 8.68% 4.55% 1.57% 0.82% 0.40%
16 Edineţ 64,123 38,219 59.60% 37,938 57.29% 8.15% 4.82% 18.34% 6.98% 1.37% 2.78% 0.27%
17 Făleşti 71,198 39,507 55.49% 39,230 52.09% 13.65% 7.55% 17.14% 4.57% 2.36% 2.32% 0.34%
18 Floreşti 68,643 42,202 61.48% 41,761 54.39% 17.55% 4.90% 15.30% 4.82% 1.62% 1.07% 0.34%
19 Glodeni 46,981 25,916 55.16% 25,727 47.72% 18.90% 8.43% 13.44% 7.59% 1.71% 1.87% 0.34%
20 Hînceşti 89,494 50,604 56.54% 50,265 33.00% 28.05% 14.12% 16.48% 5.15% 1.75% 1.15% 0.30%
21 Ialoveni 76,092 46,648 61.30% 46,334 25.02% 24.79% 23.16% 11.91% 11.81% 1.80% 0.96% 0.55%
22 Leova 42,039 22,299 53.04% 22,119 41.23% 15.31% 10.99% 14.25% 12.87% 3.02% 1.80% 0.53%
23 Nisporeni 49,284 28,389 57.60% 28,215 27.18% 22.67% 27.01% 6.88% 13.17% 1.50% 1.01% 0.58%
24 Ocniţa 39,601 25,497 64.38% 25,322 65.92% 9.00% 3.82% 14.72% 3.66% 1.19% 1.34% 0.35%
25 Orhei 93,595 54,553 58.29% 54,162 29.51% 20.78% 18.74% 16.93% 7.95% 1.65% 4.02% 0.42%
26 Rezina 37,258 23,493 63.05% 23,295 48.83% 19.24% 10.65% 11.44% 4.97% 3.47% 1.03% 0.36%
27 Rîşcani 54,232 30,752 56.70% 30,541 51.09% 13.36% 8.87% 16.10% 6.51% 1.99% 1.74% 0.33%
28 Sîngerei 67,133 36,123 53.81% 35,913 43.43% 16.97% 9.36% 20.09% 6.18% 2.24% 1.42% 0.31%
29 Soroca 74,965 42,798 57.09% 42,434 48.65% 13.38% 7.96% 16.09% 10.57% 1.21% 1.77% 0.37%
30 Străşeni 73,756 41,404 56.14% 41,123 32.86% 18.07% 21.17% 12.02% 10.96% 2.36% 2.05% 0.51%
31 Şoldăneşti 33,163 19,431 58.59% 19,279 44.90% 13.81% 8.50% 12.66% 14.13% 4.15% 1.45% 0.39%
32 Ştefan Vodă 53,048 30,406 57.32% 30,204 36.52% 21.69% 14.31% 8.69% 8.04% 8.53% 1.84% 0.38%
33 Taraclia 31,041 19,856 63.97% 19,699 80.70% 2.97% 1.20% 10.05% 1.93% 0.78% 1.96% 0.41%
34 Teleneşti 51,786 30,348 58.60% 30,166 31.94% 26.09% 11.78% 12.64% 12.97% 2.47% 1.72% 0.39%
35 Ungheni 85,655 48,368 56.47% 48,007 46.68% 14.52% 12.96% 12.96% 7.56% 1.78% 2.64% 0.35%
36 Diplomatic missions 36,429 17,544 48.16% 17,482 8.49% 32.12% 43.78% 5.88% 5.75% 2.51% 1.00% 0.46%
Total 2,603,158 1,591,757 58.77% 1,581,517 44.69% 16.57% 14.68% 12.54% 7.35% 1.91 1.86% 0.41%

Reactions

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which was observing the election, said that whilst evidence had been found of "subtle intimidation and media bias", it concluded that major electoral fraud did not occur.[8]

After the results had been announced, Voronin acknowledged that there had been a swing in the popular vote against his party, and said he wants a "principled dialogue with all the political forces."[8] Neither the Communists nor the opposition parties combined has the three-fifths of parliament, 61 seats, necessary to elect a new president without gaining the support of some members of the other side.[8]

Michael Schwirtz of the New York Times described the reason why the Communists did not gain a majority of the vote as unknown, though said it could be down to the defection of Marian Lupu, a former parliamentary speaker, from the Communists to the Democratic Party of Moldova, which won 13 seats in this election.[9] Lupu has been suggested as the next president.[7]

Aftermath

On 8 August 8, 2009 four parties – Liberal Democratic Party, the Liberal Party, the Democratic Party, and the Our Moldova Alliance – agreed to create a governing coalition named the Alliance for European Integration, in order to push the Communist party into opposition.

Elected MPs

The list of deputies elected in the 29 July 2009 parliamentary elections:

Party of Communists

On December 15, 2009, PCRM MPs Vladimir Ţurcan, Victor Stepaniuc, Ludmila Belcencova, and Valentin Guznac left the Party of Communists' parliamentary faction, on grounds that the concerned group of lawmakers did not agree with the latest decisions by the PCRM's leadership. On March 17, 2010, Svetlana Popa left the Party of Communists' parliamentary faction.

Liberal Democratic Party
Liberal Party
Democratic Party
Party Alliance Our Moldova

References

  1. 1 2 Moldova President Dissolves Parliament, Calls Poll Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 15 June 2009
  2. ↑ Moldovans vote in election re-run BBC News, 29 July 2009
  3. ↑ Republic of Moldova: The electoral threshold was reduced. The electoral alliances remain illegal Hotnews, 15 June 2009
  4. ↑ Moldovan Communists Slide In Preelection Poll Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 15 July 2009
  5. ↑ Moldovan Communists To Consider Grand Coalition Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 16 July 2009
  6. ↑ Moldova Deports Five Observers Over Parliamentary Elections From Ukrainian Voters Committee Ukrainian News Agency, 29 July 2009
  7. 1 2 3 4 Harding, Luke (2009-07-30). "Moldova votes out Europe's last ruling Communists". Guardian. Retrieved 2009-07-30.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Kole, William; Corneliu Rusnac (2009-07-30). "Communist rout puts spotlight on obscure Moldova". Associated Press. Retrieved 2009-07-30.
  9. ↑ Schwirtz, Michael (2009-07-30). "Communists Lose in Moldova Vote". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-07-30.
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