The functionality and impact of the two bills to change the electoral system were analyzed comparatively on the initiative of Transparency International – Moldova. The study shows the bill on the mixed-member electoral system proposed by the Party of Socialists exactly repeats the structure of the Democratic Party’s bill on the uninominal voting system. Moreover, these seem to have been written by the same author.
Civic activist Valeriu Pasa, in a news conference at IPN, said the so-called struggle between the Socialists and the government is only simulation. The bill signed by the Socialists is over 90% similar to the Democrats’ bill. In support of this assertion, Valeriu Pasa presented an analysis of the text of the bill registered in Parliament by the Democratic Party, where the expressions and formulations found in the Socialists’ bill were marked with a different color.
The activist said the Democratic Party introduced in the bill a provision about the necessity of presenting an “integrity certificate” by the candidates. But such an expression does not exist in specialized vocabulary. The Democrats suggest instituting an election campaign of 30 days and validating the election results regardless of the number of voters who took part in elections. The same provisions are present in the Socialists’ bill. Only the number of signatures that the candidate should collect to be registered as an election runner differs.
The authors of the study say the two bills violate the fundamental principles of Europe’s electoral heritage, namely the principle of universal and equal suffrage. The principle of universal suffrage is violated by limiting the right to vote only to the citizens who have the domicile in the electoral constituency. This limitation will prevent over 1 million Moldovans abroad from voting.
Transparency International – Moldova executive director Lilia Carasciuc wondered how the two parties, after struggling so harshly, came to terms so swiftly. According to her, it is worrisome that some of the civil society organizations supported first a bill and then another one, in a while.
Transparency International – Moldova expert Ianina Spinei said the independent NGOs will continue to carry out analyses to show the people that it is now not the right moment to replace the electoral system and will request Parliament to withdraw the bill obtained by merging the Democrats’ bill and the Socialists’ bill.
The study was financially supported by the Embassy of the Netherlands in Bucharest.
