When Can Early Elections Be Held in Moldova? Constitutional Court Response

In response to a request from MPs from the Party of Socialists (PSRM) Vasile Bolea and from the Action and Solidarity party Sergiu Litvinenco, the Constitutional Court (CC) ruled that dissolution of parliament 6 months before the presidential election is prohibited in any case, as well as holding early elections simultaneously with the presidential ones. Thus, it follows from the Constitutional Court decision that early parliamentary elections can be held only after November 1. The election of the President of Moldova is scheduled for this date. At a press briefing after the decision was announced, the head of the Constitutional Court Domnica Manole explained that in considering the possibility for early parliamentary elections to be held simultaneously with the presidential, the Constitutional Court relied on the norm of 2015, which provided for such an opportunity. “In 2015, the president was elected by the parliament, and now this is not relevant, since the president is elected by the people. In the present-day context, it is necessary to avoid the overlapping of election campaigns for parliamentary and presidential elections, therefore, dissolution of the parliament in the last 6 months of the president’s mandate is impossible, this is provided for by the fundamental law of the country,” Manole said.