Turnout in future early elections might be low, politicians

The Liberal Democratic Party (PLDM) considers that the early legislative elections would take place at the end of this year. The Liberal Party (PL) anticipates that they will be held next spring. The parties fear that the voter turnout will be low as the frequent early elections can make the voters indifferent. Representatives of the two parties made related statements during Pro TV Chisinau's program “In Profunzime” (“In Depth”) on April 12 in the evening, Info-Prim Neo reports. Asked how the Alliance for European Integration will run in the early elections – separately or in a bloc, the PLDM lawmaker Vitalie Nagachevski and the vice president of the PL Dorin Chirtoaca said a decision will be taken not long before the elections. Nagachevski and Chirtoaca consider that article 78 of the Constitution, which describes the procedure for electing the head of state, should be modified in Parliament first. Recently, the Alliance submitted a bill providing for the election of the President by direct vote to the Constitutional Court. The leader of the United Moldova Party Vladimir Turcan reiterated his position that the head of state must be elected by three rounds – by 61 votes in the first two rounds and by a simple majority of votes in the third round. Turcan said a number of constitutional articles concerning the form of government will have to be amended in order to allow the election of the President by the people. Vladimir Turcan also said that his party will run in the early legislative elections and is sure it will enter the Parliament. “A large part of the population is disappointed. They expect an alternative and the United Moldova Party offers such an alternative,” he stated, adding that the left parties, including the PCRM, PDM, and PSD, will be its main opponents. Vladimir Turcan considers that the people will go to the polls if necessary, while the vice president of the PL Dorin Chirtoaca, the Mayor of Chisinau, said the people are dissatisfied with the created situation. “We will have to explain why things stand like this six months after the constitution of the Democratic government,” Dorin Chirtoaca said.