MPs choose Moldova’s president

The members of the seventeenth Parliament elect the head of state today. They will choose between the former Prime Minister Zinaida Greceanai and academician and neurosurgeon Stanislav Groppa. Both of the candidates were put forward by the parliamentary group of the Communist Party (PCRM). To become president, one of the two candidates must obtain 61 votes out of the 101 possible. The president is elected by secret vote. Under the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova, if no candidate polls the necessary number of votes, there is held the second round of voting within three days of the of first round. If the president is not elected during the second round, rerun elections are held within 15 days. If the president is not elected after rerun elections, the outgoing president dissolves the Parliament and fixes the date of new parliamentary elections. The three Opposition parliamentary groups that hold together 41 seats – the Liberal Party, the Liberal Democratic Party and Moldova Noastra Alliance - have repeatedly announced they will not participate in the election of the head of state as the legislative elections had been rigged by the PCRM. The parliamentary group of the PCRM is composed of 60 MPs and needs one more vote to elect the president. .