The trends in the local elections of this year could be different, given the appearance of new players and the case of the theft committed at Banca de Economii, which had a powerful impact on society. The ruling parties - the PLDM, PDM and, possibly, PCRM - will have to ‘pay’ for the unconvincing way in which they reacted to the theft at this bank, political commentator Nicolae Negru says in an analysis published on the website of “Politicon” Center, quoted by IPN.
Nicolae Negru considers the results of the PLDM in elections could be influenced by the defection of ex-Premier Iurie Leanca from this party. On the other hand, the chances of the opposition parties - the PL and PSRM - could rise. “We can anticipate that the winner in the northern and southeastern districts (which are populated densely by Gagauz people and Bulgarians) will represent a party of the left, while the winner in the central and southwestern districts – a party of the right. It’s hard to image that a Liberal party will win the elections in Balti municipality, which is populated mainly by Russians. This refers not only to the composition of the local councils, but also to the mayors whose ideological, political powers are limited,” said the political commentator.
According to the political commentator, the ethnical factor will have an impact in Chisinau too. The Municipal Council is controlled almost equally by the pro-European and pro-Russian parties, while the prevalence of the pro-Romanian population will determine the loss of a candidate of a party of the left, with Eastern geopolitical leanings, to a pro-European or even unionist candidate of a right party.
Nicolae Negru said that only in the settlements with homogenous population from ethnical viewpoint does the geopolitical factor play a smaller role as emphasis there is put on the administrative qualities of the candidates. As in the previous years, the people will have to choose not good but rather geostrategic managers for the posts of mayors and local councilors, no matter how incapable and unprepared these are for the posts for which they apply.
