PPCD proposes constitutional reform with no member in Parliament

The Christian-Democratic People’s Party (PPCD) Thursday presented a constitutional reform aimed at further transforming Moldova into a parliamentary country. The party’s representative Victor Ciobanu told a news conference that Moldova must complete the stage of constitutional and legislative adjustments that will strengthen the institutions of the state of law and will balance the powers in the state. The party suggests constitutional modifications that offer the head of state and the speaker fewer powers. According to the PPCD, the president must not have the right to dissolve the Parliament. In a parliamentary republic, the president can only initiate a referendum on the dissolution of the legislature. The party also proposes depriving the head of state of the exclusive right to nominate the prime minister. Also, the president should not have the power to recall the members of the Government, while the right to initiate the replacement of members of the Cabinet should belong to the Prime Minister, with the Parliament giving its consent. The PPCD also says that a part of the powers of the speaker should be annulled, including the right to propose the candidate for prosecutor general or the president of the Audit Office. The head of Parliament should be dismissed by the vote of a simple majority, not by two thirds as at present. Asked to comment on the possibility of amending the Constitution, the president of the Democratic Party Marian Lupu said that it is not the right time now to amend it and that such modifications should be made only by referendum. Under the legislation, the Constitution can be modified by the vote of at least two thirds of the MPs. The PPCD polled 1.9% of the ballot in the July 29 early legislative elections and did not pass the election threshold of 5%.