Moldovan parliamentary election, 2014

Moldovan parliamentary election, 2014

30 November 2014

All the 101 seats to the Parliament of Moldova Turnout 55.85%   First party Second party Third party   Leader Igor Dodon Vlad Filat Vladimir Voronin Party PSRM Liberal Democratic PCRM Leader since 2011 2007 1994 Last election Ran on the PCRM's list 29.42%, 32 seats 39.34%, 42 seats Seats before 4 32 38[lower-alpha 1] Seats won 25 23 21 Seat change 21 9 21 Popular vote 327,910 322,188 279,372 Percentage 20.51% 20.16% 17.48%   Fourth party Fifth party   Leader Marian Lupu Mihai Ghimpu Party Democratic Liberal Leader since 2009 1997 Last election 12.70%, 15 seats 9.96%, 12 seats Seats before 15 5[lower-alpha 2] Seats won 19 13 Seat change 4 1 Popular vote 252,489 154,507 Percentage 15.80% 9.67%

Prime Minister before election Iurie Leancă Liberal Democratic Prime Minister Chiril Gaburici Liberal Democratic

Parliamentary elections were held in Moldova on 30 November 2014, four years after the previous parliamentary election on 28 November 2010. The elections were the eighth parliamentary election since independence in 1991.

The elections were described as "more a loss than a victory" of the incumbent pro-European coalition, with center-right parties divided by sharp tensions.^[1] The pro-Russian Socialist Party (PSRM), composed of former communists, emerged as the winner of the 2014 elections and the strongest party in Parliament, gaining 20.51% of votes. The Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova (PCRM) dropped from 38 to 21 seats.

Electoral system

The 101 members of Parliament were elected by party-list proportional representation in a single nationwide constituency.^[2] There were four separate electoral thresholds: 9 percent for electoral blocs with three or more parties, 7 percent for two-party electoral blocs, 4 percent for single parties or organisations, and 2 percent for independent candidates.^[2]

Documents for registration of electoral candidates had to be submitted to the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) between 3 and 30 October 2014.^[3] Once formally registered by the CEC, the candidates were allowed to begin campaigning.^[4]

Voter turnout had to be over 33 percent for the election to be validated.^[2]

Campaign

A total of 41 parties registered at the Ministry of Justice by the 15 September deadline,^[5] but the final ballot included 19 parties, one bloc, and four independent candidates.

The main dividing line between the parties was foreign policy, setting the pro-European Union (EU) parties (the Democratic Party, the Liberal Democratic Party, and the Liberal Party) against those supporting rapprochement with the then incoming Eurasian Economic Union and the Russian Federation (PCRM and PSRM). The PSRM was the most radical by offering to cancel the agreement on political association and the free trade zone with the EU, and was openly supported by Russia. The leader of the party, Igor Dodon, publicly met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin.

Participating

In total, the Central Electoral Commission registered 25 participants in the election (20 political parties, 1 electoral bloc, and 4 independent candidates):

No.[6]	Party or independent candidate's name	Candidate list accepted by the Central Electoral Commission on[7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]
1	Democratic Party of Moldova	10 October 2014
2	Christian-Democratic People's Party	10 October 2014
3	Force of the People Party	10 October 2014
4	Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova	10 October 2014
5	Liberal Reformist Party	10 October 2014
6	Communist Reformist Party of Moldova	10 October 2014
7	Popular Movement Anti-Mafia Party	10 October 2014
8	National Liberal Party	10 October 2014
9	Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova	10 October 2014
10	'Moldova's Choice - Customs Union' Electoral Bloc	10 October 2014
11	'Democracy at Home' Political Party	10 October 2014
12	People's Party of Moldova	10 October 2014
13	Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova	10 October 2014
14	Liberal Party	10 October 2014
15	Revival Party	10 October 2014
16	'Homeland' Party(*)	13 October 2014
17	Democratic Action Party	27 October 2014
18	Ecologist Green Party	28 October 2014
19	Oleg Cernei	29 October 2014
20	Oleg Brega	3 November 2014
21	'Patriots of Moldova' Party	3 November 2014
22	Valeriu Pleșca	6 November 2014
23	Anatolie Doga	7 November 2014
24	Centrist Union of Moldova	6 November 2014
25	For Nation and Country Party	6 November 2014

(*) Declared withdrawn as of 27 November 2014. However, its name appeared on the ballot paper, as it is too late to remove it.

Withdrawn

The candidate list of the Republican Socio-Political Movement Equality was accepted by the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) on 29 October 2014; however, the party later decided to withdraw from the election. On 22 November 2014, the CEC announced that it had accepted the withdrawal.^[15]

The Homeland Party was declared withdrawn from the election by the Chișinău Court of Appeal on 27 November 2014, for having used foreign financial resources during the campaign.^[16] Because ballot papers had already been printed, it was too late to remove the party's name (as was previously done for the Socio-political Movement 'Ravnopravie'). Instead, a stamp marked "withdrawn" was applied next to the party's name.^[17] The Supreme Court of Justice of Moldova rejected the party's appeal on 29 November 2014.^[18]

Opinion polls

Party	2010 elections		Opinion Polls
	Seats	%	Jan 2013	Apr 2013	Apr 2013	May 2013[19]	Oct 2013	Nov 2013[20]	Nov 2013[21]	March 2014[22]	April 2014[23]	May 2014[24]	June 2014[25]	July 2014[26]	September 2014[27]
PCRM	42	39.32	31.8	50.2	41.8	53.9	39.3	49.6	50.8	48.7	44.5	41.7	36.6	36.2	35.6
PLDM	32	29.42	26.5	19.5	24.7	17.4	16.9	19.7	19.1	28.3	26.5	19.2	23.9	26.1	28.3
PDM	15	12.7	11.9	10.5	13.9	11.9	10.2	13.2	12.7	12.8	14.6	10.2	13.8	14.5	16.2
PL	12	9.96	14.8	16.2	10.4	10.3	7.1	8.8	11.1	10.2	14.3	8.9	10.1	11.6	9.6
PSRM	—	—	1.5	0.9	4.7	2.0	4.9	0.9	0.6	—	—	8.3	1.8	4.3	—
PLR	new	—	—	—	—	—	2.6	2.5	1.6	—	—	0.9	5.9	—	—
MPA	new	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	1.8	—	—	2.8	—	2.9	—
PPCD	0	0.53	—	0.3	—	0.9	—	1.3	—	—	—	1.2	—	—	—
PSD	0	0.59	—	0.8	—	0.3	—	—	1.2	—	—	—	—	—	—
PAD	new	—	—	—	—	0.5	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
PPM	new	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	1.3	—	—	—
PaRuS	new	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	10.2

Results

Party	Votes	%	Seats	+/–
Party of Socialists	327,910	20.51	25	New
Liberal Democratic Party	322,188	20.16	23	–9
Party of Communists	279,372	17.48	21	–21
Democratic Party of Moldova	252,489	15.80	19	+4
Liberal Party	154,507	9.67	13	+1
Communist Reformist Party	78,719	4.92	0	New
'Moldova's Choice - Customs Union' Electoral Bloc	55,089	3.45	0	New
Popular Movement Anti-Mafia Party	27,843	1.74	0	New
Liberal Reformist Party	24,956	1.56	0	New
People's Party of Moldova	12,112	0.76	0	New
Christian-Democratic People's Party	11,782	0.74	0	0
Force of the People Party	11,672	0.73	0	New
National Liberal Party	6,859	0.43	0	0
Revival Party	4,158	0.26	0	New
Democratic Action Party	2,564	0.16	0	New
Democracy at Home	2,449	0.15	0	New
For Nation and Country Party	1,697	0.11	0	0
Patriots of Moldova	1,498	0.09	0	0
Ecologist Green Party	1,366	0.09	0	0
Centrist Union	633	0.04	0	New
Independents	18,651	1.17	0	0
Invalid/blank votes	50,948	–	–	–
Total	1,649,508	100	101	0
Registered voters/turnout	2,953,276	55.85	–	–
Source: CEC

Notes

1. Four members of the PSRM were elected as PCRM candidates in Election as part of alliance. Later on they revived the PSRM
2. Seven members of the Liberal Party defected to the Liberal Reformist Party during the previous parliamentary term.

References

1. Timuş, Natalia (23 March 2015). "A democratic and European stern test for Moldovan political elite". Party Systems and Governments Observatory. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
2. Electoral system IPU
3. General information about the parliamentary elections of 2014 in Moldova eDemocracy
4. "Moldova, Parliamentary Elections, 30 November 2014: Needs Assessment Mission Report", Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, 19 September 2014, page 7, accessed 14 December 2014
5. Nr. 2664 - cu privire la lista partidelor şi altor organizaţii social-politice cu dreptul de a participa la alegerile parlamentare din 30 noiembrie 2014 CEC (Romanian)
6. Position on the ballot paper, as determined by the Central Electoral Commission. Parties are listed on the ballot paper in the order they register their candidate lists with the Commission. If more than one party registers candidates on the same day, the order is determined by the Commission following a draw. See: http://cec.md/index.php?pag=news&id=1042&rid=12128&l=ro
7. http://www.cec.md/index.php?pag=news&id=1042&rid=11695&l=ro
8. http://www.cec.md/index.php?pag=news&id=1042&rid=11753&l=ro
9. http://cec.md/index.php?pag=news&id=1042&rid=11993&l=ro
10. http://cec.md/index.php?pag=news&id=1042&rid=12002&l=ro
11. http://cec.md/index.php?pag=news&id=1042&rid=12005&l=ro
12. http://cec.md/index.php?pag=news&id=1042&rid=12051&l=ro
13. http://cec.md/index.php?pag=news&id=1043&rid=12082&l=ro
14. http://cec.md/index.php?pag=news&id=1042&rid=12088&l=ro
15. http://cec.md/index.php?pag=news&id=1042&rid=12235&l=ro
16. http://www.publika.md/curtea-de-apel-chisinau-a-decis-partidul-patria-este-exclus-din-campania-electorala_2169421.html
17. http://www.publika.md/cum-a-reactionat-renato-usatii-cand-a-auzit-ca-partidul-patria-a-fost-exclus-din-cursa-electorala_2170191.html
18. http://jurisprudenta.csj.md/search_col_civil.php?id=15116
19. "IMAS Poll (in Romanian)". unimedia.md. 5 June 2013. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
20. "Political poll: PCRM leads (in Romanian)". Jurnal TV. 19 November 2013. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
21. "Public Opinion Barometer Poll (in Romanian)". unimedia.md. 21 November 2013. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
22. "Moldova Association of Sociologists Poll". trm.md. 17 March 2014. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
23. "Moldova Association of Sociologists Poll". trm.md. 24 April 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
24. "Association of Sociologists and Demographers of Moldova Poll". allmoldova.md. 21 May 2014. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
25. "Privesc.eu poll". infoprut.ro. 24 June 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
26. "Public opinion survey Residents of Moldova" (PDF). International Republican Institute. 1 August 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
27. "Perspectiva votanţilor activi din Rep. Moldova în pragul alegerilor parlamentare" (PDF). Cercetare IPN. 15 September 2014. Retrieved 15 September 2014.

External links