The decree issued by President Maia Sandu, by which Natalia Gavrilița was nominated for premiership again, was declared unconstitutional. The Constitutional Court passed its judgment on February 23 after partially accepting the challenge filed by Socialist MPs Vasile Bolea, Grigore Novac and Alexandr Suhodolski, IPN reports.

The authors of the challenge said that on February 11, knowing about the statement on the constitution of a parliamentary majority, President Sandu invited the groups to new consultations after the first attempt to vote in a new Cabinet failed. As a result of consultations, President Sandu issued the decree to nominate against Natalia Gavrilița as Prime Minister. The Socialists consider the official acted discretionarily, contrary to the obligation of political neutrality and impartiality in the process of nominating the candidate for premiership. The Socialists also made reference to a previous CC judgment saying that if there is a formalized parliamentary majority, the President is obliged to nominate the candidate proposed by this majority.

On February 11, candidate for PM Natalia Gavrilița didn’t obtain any vote in Parliament. This way, the first attempt to vote in the Government failed.  In the same sitting, the Socialists announced the creation of a parliamentary majority together with the MPs of the platform “For Moldova”, which includes the MPs of the Shor Party. The newly formed majority proposed ex-minister of finance Mariana Durleșteanu for Prime Minister. Later the same day, President Maia Sandu nominated again Natalia Gavrilița for Prime Minister, but her decree was challenged by the Socialist MPs in the Constitutional Court passed.