The day after Moldovans went to the polls in the February 24 general election, President Igor Dodon was already talking of dissolving the newly elected parliament.
The vote on February 24 delivered a divided parliament, with neither Dodon’s Socialists nor the rival Democratic Party (PDM) close to forming a majority, a result that looks set to lead to a lengthy period of political turmoil similar to that which followed the last general election in 2014.
Dodon said on February 25 that a “fair” majority should be formed by parties, and not by a single party joined by independent or fugitive MPs, adding that he is ready to dissolve the parliament resulted from the February 24 elections otherwise.
The outcome of the ballot, however, leaves little room for a majority formed by parties, as required by Dodon. According to data compiled by Radio Chisinau, the pro-Russian Socialist Party will hold 35 seats in the 101-seat legislative, followed by Vlad Plahotniuc’s PDM with 30 mandates, the pro-EU political platform ACUM (26 mandates), the party of convicted fraudster Ilan Shor (seven seats) and three independent MPs.