The key for unblocking the alternative voting methods are in Parliament. For the purpose, legislative proposals concerning such methods should be drafted and then adopted by Parliament, Elena Druță, adviser to the President of the Republic of Moldova for relations with the diaspora, said in IPN’s public debate “Alternative voting methods: benefits and risks, pros and cons”.

According to Elena Druță, there is now no consensus in Parliament for legalizing alternative voting. There is no eventual majority that would support such amendments.

Electronic voting and postal voting involve particular risks that will be taken into account. But technicians assure that these can be minimized. “Experts, technicians assure that solutions can be found, especially for the moment when the vote is exercised, so as to separate the identity of the voter from the made choice. But the discussions on the subject and the process are long and will yet last,” stated the adviser.

Elena Druță said the number of polling places abroad can be increased so as to ease voting for the diaspora and enable more Moldovans abroad to vote. This is the most important indicator that will determine the way in which the citizens abroad vote and how swiftly and easily they vote.

The citizens are ready for alternative voting solutions, but these haven’t been taken into account and implemented. The number of those who would apply such methods could be low initially, but the citizens are waiting for the alternative methods and will use the new opportunities to exercise their right to vote, noted Elena Druță.

The public debate “Alternative voting methods: benefits and risks, pros and cons” is the 182nd installment of IPN’s project “Developing Political Culture through Public Debates” that is implemented with support from the Hanns Seidel Foundation.