2. Moldova’s political system: Introduction
The politics of the Republic of Moldova operate in a system of a
parliamentary representative democratic republic, where the PM leads
both the government and a multi-party structure.
The government exercises executive power.
Both the government and the parliament vest legislative power.
The judiciary is independent of both the executive and the legislature.
Issues currently at the top of Moldova’s political agenda include the
unrecognized secession of the republic of Transnistria, relations with
neighboring Romania and entry into the European Union.
3. Moldova’s political system: Legislative branch
The Parliament of the Republic of Moldova (Parlamentul Republicii
Moldova) is a unicameral assembly with 101 seats.
Its affiliates are elected through popular vote every 4 years.
In turn, the parliament elects a president, who serves as the
country’s head of state.
The President names a PM as head of government and the PM
gathers a cabinet; both the PM and her or his cabinet need to be
approved by parliament.
4. Moldova’s political system: Government
Capital (and largest city): Chişinău
Official languages: Moldovan*
Demonym: Moldovan, Moldovian
President: Nicolae Timofti
Prime Minister: Vlad Filat
President of the Parliament:
Marian Lupu
Legislature: Parliament
*According to the Constitution of
Moldova; really a Romanian dialect.
5. Moldova’s political system: Current parties in parliament
Party of Communists of the Republic
of Moldova (Partidul Comuniştilor din
Republica Moldova, PCRM)
Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova
(Partidul Liberal Democrat din
Moldova, PLDM)
Democratic Party of Moldova
(Partidul Democrat din Moldova,
PDM)
Liberal Party (Partidul Liberal, PL)
6. Moldova’s political system: Executive branch
Office, name President and PM
President: Nicolae Timofti The parliament elects the president for a
4-year term.
Party: None According to Moldova’s constitution, the
Since: 23 March 2012 president, on seeking permission from
parliament, will appoint a nominee for
Prime Minister: Vlad Filat the office of PM; within 15 days of being
Party: Liberal Democratic nominated, the PM candidate will ask
Party, Alliance for European for a vote of confidence from the
parliament relating to her/his work
Integration program and whole cabinet.
Since: 25 September 2009 The cabinet is subsequently chosen by
the PM designate, who needs to be
approved by parliament.
7. Moldova’s political system: Ministries
Moldova has sixteen Ministries of Government:
Ministry of the Internal Affairs of Moldova
Ministry of Finance
Ministry of Transport and Roads Infrastructure
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration
Ministry of Economy
Ministry of Education
Ministry of Construction and Regional Development
Ministry of Labor, Family and Social Protection
Ministry of Defense
Ministry of Justice
Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry
Ministry of Health
Ministry of Culture
Ministry of Environment
Ministry of Youth and Sports
Ministry of Informational Technologies and Communication
8. Moldova’s political system: Judicial branch
The Supreme Court of Moldova; the Constitutional Court is the
single power of constitutional judicature.
9. Moldova’s political system: Administrative divisions
Moldova is split into 32 raions
(raioane), 3 municipalities
(Chişinău, Bălți and Bender), one
self-governing region (Gagauzia),
and the breakaway republic of
Transnistria, whose position is the
subject of disagreement.
10. Moldova’s political system: International organization participation
ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user),
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, OPCW, OSCE,
PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO (candidate).
11. Moldova’s political system: Legal issues
There is controversy over whether elections and politics in
Moldova are conducted in a free and democratic climate
on the part of specific groups.
The United States Senate has held commission inquiries
that examined Moldova’s elections, such as arrests and
persecution of opposition politicians, threats and
censorship of independent media, and state owned media
bias favoring candidates supported by the Communist-led
Moldovan Government.
Other opponents of the Communist Party government
have criticized it as being dictatorial.
Nonetheless, former U.S. President George W. Bush said
that “We note and welcome Moldova’s positive record
since independence in conducting free and fair elections
and in implementing democratic reforms.”
There have also been accounts of politically motivated
arrests as well as arrests lacking suitable lawful grounds;
such arrests are claimed to be conducted against
opponents and dissidents of the Communist Party
government of ex-President Vladimir Voronin.
In one specific instance, which was condemned by
Western groups and individuals, opposition politican
Valeriu Pasat was sentenced to ten years in prison on
uncertain grounds.
In recent months, the self-governing region of Gagauzia’s
leadership has been more voiced in its objections that the
Moldovan Government does not respect the region’s
statutory-enshrined independence.
12. Moldova’s political system: Legal issues (cont.)
Moldova successfully joined the World Trade Organization and the Southeast European Stability Pact
in 2001.
Of main importance have been the administration’s attempts to warm relations with the
International Monetary Fund and the World Bank and to fulfill agreements started in 2000 by the
previous government; agreements in these areas was decisive, since big government debts that were
due in 2002 needed to be postponed.
The government has made concerted attempts to look for ways to pay for Moldova’s power supplies.
In political terms, the government is dedicated to put forth a budget that will involve social safety net
items, including health, education, and raising income and wages.
The Moldovan Government backed democracy and human rights in FY 2001.
Political parties and other organizations distribute newspapers, which frequently condemn the
administration’s policies.
There are a number of independent news services, radio stations, and an independent TV station.
Legislation passed in 1992 legalized religious freedom, but required that religious groups be
recognized by the government.
13. Moldova’s political system: Human trafficking
A Soviet law from 1990 and a parliamentary decision from 1991 that
approved creation of social groups provide for independent trade unions.
However, the single structure is the Federation of Independent Trade
Unions of Moldova, the heir to the previous organizations of the Soviet
trade union system.
The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Moldova has tried to
influence administration policy in work issues and has criticized numerous
economic policies.
Moldovan work law, modeled off ex-Soviet legislation, provides for
communal bargaining rights.
14. Moldova’s political system: Transnistria
Moldova’s Declaration of Independence specifically and
frankly claims Moldovan sovereignty over the land of
Transnistria as the territory is “a component part of the
historical and ethnic territory of our people”.
Nonetheless, the Declaration itself is used as a
disagreement against Moldovan control over Transnistria
because it criticizes the nonaggression pact of 23 August
1939 between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany as “null
and void” and as the only proper union between the two
lands.
Transnistria’s population is roughly 32% Moldovan, 31%
Ukrainian, and 29% Russian.
After it unsuccessfully attempted to establish control over
the breakaway region in the War of Transistria, Moldova
proposed a somewhat large cultural and political self-
governing to the region; this dispute has damaged
Moldova’s relations with Russia.
The cease fire accord of July 1992 created a tripartite
peacekeeping force consisting of Moldovan, Russian, and
Transnistrian units; negotiations to solve the conflict
persist, and the cease fire remains in effect.
The OSCE is also attempting to pass a negotiated
resolution and has played an observer mission role for
numerous years.
15. Moldova’s political system: Transnistria (cont.)
Some progress made by Russia in the early 2000s in demolishing the weapons and
munitions of the Organized Group of Russian Forces stationed in Transnistria have
advanced expectations that Russia proposes to obey the Istanbul Accords of 1999.
The nation is still divided; the Transnistrian region bordering Ukraine is occupied by
separatist forces.
The new communist administration has shown increased resolve to solve the escalating
pr0blem, but due to fundamental disputes with the separatist authorities in Transnistria
concerning the region’s position and complex international political pressure put forth
by the U.S., the OSCE, the EU, and particularly Russia, these efforts have not resulted in
success.
16. Nicolae Timofti
Born 22 December 1948 in Ciutulești.
Current president of Moldova since 23 March 2012; led Moldova’s
Supreme Magistrate Council and was elected president by
parliament on 16 March 2012.
Was born to Elena (b. 1927) and Vasile Timofti and has four siblings;
his family moved to Florești early in 1949.
His paternal grandfather Tudor Timofti was expelled by Soviet
authorities to the Amur region on 6 July 1949; he died there four
years later.
Graduated from Moldova State University’s law school in 1972 and
spent two years in the Soviet Army before he started his career as a
judge in 1976.
“He is a person who was with us when we started reforms in the
1990s,” Mihai Ghimpu recalled.
Was nominated to the Higher Judicial Branch; was appointed
chairman of the Supreme Council of the Magistrates in 2011.
Made Moldova’s European orientation policy a priority, after he was
elected to parliament, because it was the country’s policy
throughout the preceding years.
Former acting President and Speaker of the Parliament of Moldova
Mihai Ghimpu praised Timofti as “…a progressive man, [which]
means a lot for the Republic of Moldova.”
Is married to the lawyer Margareta Timofti; they have three sons:
Alexei (b. 1977) works as a lawyer for the World Bank in
Washington, Nicu (b. 1980) is a sports journalist in Chișinău, and
Ștefan (b. 1989) studies economics in Chișinău.
17. Vlad Filat
Born 6 May 1969 in Lăpușna.
Current PM of Moldova since 25 September 2009.
Is the second child of Maria and Vasile Filat.
Was raised in a part of Lăpușna called Talcioc, along with his
two sisters Ala and Valentina and his brother Ion.
Graduated from high school in 1986; worked at the school
radio station in 1986 and 1987 until he was called up for
military service.
Conducted his compulsory military service in the Soviet Army
(8 May 1987-15 August 1989) in Simferopol.
Studied at the Cooperation College of Chișinău from 1989-
1990 (Kooperativny technikum) and went on to study law at
the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University in Iaşi from 1990-1994.
As a student, he led the “League of Students from Bessarabia
in Romania”, a group created by Moldovan students in
Romania; among his fellow students in Iaşi was Alexandru
Tunas.
While he was studying in Iaşi, he met his wife Sanda in the fall
of 1991; they were married only three months after they
started dating.
Began and carried out further business in Romania, between
1994 and 1998; served as general supervisor of “Remold
Trading SRL” in Iaşi from 1994-1997 and President of the
Administrative Council of “Dosoftei” company in Iaşi from
1997-1998.
18. Marian Lupu
Born 20 June 1966 in Bălți.
Current President of Parliament since 30 November 2010; also
served as President of Parliament 24 March 2005-5 May 2009.
Was acting President of Moldova from 30 December 2010-23 March
2012.
His family moved to Chișinău when he was 6 years old.
His parents gave him the nickname Marcel because they admired
the Romanian accordion composer Marcel Budală (1926-1989).
His father, Ilie Ion Lupu (b. 1938), was a professor of mathematics at
the Moldova State University and T.G. Shevchenko University as
well as a novelist and political advocate of the former Communist
Party of Moldova; in the 1990s, his father militated for re-
legalization of that party after it was outlawed in 1991.
Met Vladimir Voronin only once (in 2008), at an observance where
Lupu received the Order of Work Merit.
His mother taught French language at the Nicolae Testemițanu
State University of Medicine and Pharmacy.
Was an affiliate of Komsomol from 1980-1988 and an affiliate of the
Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1988-1991.
Studied at “Gheorghe Asachi” High School of Chișinău until 1983;
also studied Economics at Moldova State University until 1987 and
at Plekhanov Moscow Institute of the National Economy from 1987-
1991 in Moscow, where he acquired his Ph.D in Economics.
Also attended stages at the International Monetary Fund in
Washington, D.C. in 1994 and World Trade Organization in Geneva
in 1996.
Other than his native Romanian, he speaks English, French, and
Russian.
Was married in 1992 and has two children, Sanda and Cristian.
19. Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova
Communist, far left party.
Led by former President Vladimir Voronin.
Founded 22 October 1993.
Is the only communist party to have had a
governing majority in the ex-Soviet
republics.
Another communist party, the Communist
Party of Moldova, was founded in 2012; it
claims that the PCRM is not communist,
but social democratic.
Holds 42/101 seats in the Moldovan
parliament and 10/32 seats in Moldova’s
districts.
Is a member of Union of Communist
Parties – Communist Party of the Soviet
Union (International affiliation) and Party
of the European Left (European affiliation).
20. Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova
Liberal-conservative, centre-right political party.
Its Founding Congress was held on 8 October 2007; current PM
Vlad Filat was elected as its leader.
Filat, formerly a notable affiliate of the Democratic Party of
Moldova who was upset with the approach that political party
took under Dumitru Diacov’s leadership, was originally the focus
of the party’s initiative group.
Almost immediately, a large number of local subdivisions of the
Christian Democratic Popular Party, saddened with Iurie Rosca’s
policy of collaboration with the Communist Party of Moldova,
joined the PLDM.
Drew numerous notable affiliates of the civil society.
Won 16.57% of the votes during the 29 July 2009 parliamentary
election; is represented in the parliament by 18 representatives.
Almost doubled its results at the early parliamentary election
held on 28 November 2010; acquired 32.2% of the votes and had
14 more representatives.
Holds 32/101 seats in the Moldovan parliament and 15/32 seats in
Moldova’s districts.
Member of Alliance for European Integration (National
affiliation) and International Democrat Union (International
affiliation) and observer member of European People’s Party
(European affiliation).
