Parliament fixes date to elect head of state

The Parliament set May 20 as the date when the new head of state will be elected. The decision was passed by the vote of the major parliamentary group at Wednesday’s sitting of the legislative body, Info-Prim Neo reports. The commission for the organization of the elections was to be composed of seven MPs: three from the parliamentary group of the Communist Party (PCRM) and by one from the three Opposition parties – the Liberal Party (PL), the Liberal Democratic Party (PLDM) and the Moldova Noastra Alliance (AMN). As the Opposition refused to put forward candidates, the commission will consist of seven Communist MPs. Any person older than 40 that lived for at least 10 years in Moldova, holds Moldovan nationality and knows the official language can run for president. The candidate must be approved by 15 MPs. An MP can back only one candidate. The term in office of President Vladimir Voronin ended on April 7, but he will hold the office until a new head of state is elected by the vote of three fifth of the elected MPs, i.e. 61 of the 101 MPs that form the legislature. The president is elected by secret vote. If no candidate obtains the necessary number of votes, there is held the second round of voting for the two candidates that won most of the votes in the first round. If the president is not elected during the second round, there are held rerun elections. If the president is not elected after rerun elections, the outgoing president dissolves the Parliament and fixes the date of new elections. The Opposition has repeatedly announced it will not put up candidates and will not participate in the election of the head of state. The parliamentary group of the PCRM is composed of 60 MPs and needs one more vote to elect the president.