The Central Electoral Commission formally refused to register a group proposed by Renato Usatîi’s Partidul Nostru to collect signatures for a snap legislative election. Usatîi reacted by accusing the CEC of following orders from the President’s Office.

CEC member Rita Lefter-Simașco said the Constitution only allows for two scenarios of dissolving Parliament: when the legislature fails to appoint a Cabinet or when there is no law-making for three months. Also, per the Constitution, the only authority that may dissolve Parliament is the President.    

“Consequently, a popular referendum is not a constitutional solution for the dissolution of Parliament, nor can it serve as a legal argument to force the president to dissolve Parliament”, concluded Rita Lefter-Simașco.

Renato Usatîi said he will rally his supporters to protest outside the Presidential Palace and demand that Maia Sandu initiate the referendum. The politician added that these decisions will be challenged in domestic and international courts. According to him, there were no legal reasons to deny the group registration.