Moldovan cabinet turns down legislative initiative on organizing polls in uninominal districts

Chisinau, 18 July /MOLDPRES/ - A draft law on the amendment of the Electoral Code, submitted by a group of lawmakers, which sees the organization of polls in uninominal districts in two rounds, was rejected by the cabinet today.    

The Justice Ministry makes reference to a decision from 28 May 1998 of the Constitutional Court, which established that “the parliament is the only body able to adopt any type of elections or way of offering MP seats. Thus, it is up to the legislative body to decide which electoral system is to be applied: majority, proportional or mixed.” At the same time, the High Court stressed that the option for one or two rounds of the ballot represents an issue of political opportunity, taking into account the democratic standards and the as truthful as possible showing of the voter’s option.   

According to the Justice Ministry, the legislative solution proposed changes the electoral system by several months ahead of the elections, which runs counter recommendations by the Venice Commission, according to which the draft laws for the amendment of the legislation which regulates the electoral system are to be submitted to parliament for consideration one year before the polls at the latest.

(Reporter V. Bercu, editor L. Alcaza)