Moldovan parliament votes change of electoral system

Chisinau, 20 July /MOLDPRES/ - The Moldovan parliament voted the draft law providing for the change of the electoral system in the final reading today. The mixed electoral system was backed and voted by 74 MPs, the parliament’s communication and public relations department has reported.

The new provisions see that 50 members of the parliament will be selected by proportional representation and another 51 - by uninominal voting in districts.

The changes see the creation of districts by a special commission, set up by the government, due to be made up of representatives of the civil society, parliamentary and extra-parliamentary parties, representatives of national minorities, academic environment, experts, etc. The information on the electoral districts will be published in the Official Journal one year before the elections. At the same time, to ensure a better representation of voters from abroad and from the Transnistrian region, the criterion of geographical division is to be included among the current criteria for the formation of districts.   

The transparent financing of candidates and for their integrity is contained in the draft by the certificate of integrity, which is compulsory for the candidate’s registration. It is worth mentioning that the national legislation provides for sanctions, including criminal ones, for false in statements and for incomplete declarations on wealth and integrity. At the same time, the draft proposes decrease of the ceiling of financial contribution of candidates to 50 average salaries for private people and 100 average salaries for legal entities. Presently, private persons can donate 200 average salaries and the legal entities – 400.

Also, the draft law includes stimulating measures to ensure the gender equality. Thus, to promote women in politics, according to Moldova’s international commitments and Venice Commission’s recommendations, the parties which will keep the present quota of 40 per cent also for the uninominal districts will benefit from a budgetary financial increase of at least ten per cent, which, according to a coefficient, will rise with each woman elected in parliament. Also, the number of signatures necessary for the registration of a woman candidate against a man candidate is cut by a half.

It worth mentioning that, on 5 May 2017, the MPs approved, in the first reading, the initiatives on the introduction of the uninominal system and the mixed voting system. According to the legislative procedure, the two initiatives were merged and subsequently considered by experts of the Venice Commission. At the same time,  seven discussions on parliamentary platform were organized, with the participation of more than 100 representatives of parliamentary and extra-parliamentary parties, civil society, experts, jurists and public institutions involved in the organization of polls. Also, TV debates, meetings on analysis organized by experts in the electoral field, as well as meetings with residents from different settlements took place too.  

All information on the process of elaboration and discussion of the draft law may be consulted on the parliament’s official webpage:

http://www.parliament.md/Actualitate/Modificareasistemuluielectoral/tabid/254/language/ro-RO/Default.aspx