The most favorable period for holding local general elections for the pro-European parties is August – September, considers politologist Olga Nicolenco. According to her, the image of the three parties – the PLDM, PDM, and PL – is now very bad and can be restored only in time. On the other hand, the holding of elections in June may be favorable to the Socialists.
“For the parties that are now making effort to form the government, it’s better for these elections to take place in August – September because they are now in a huge image crisis,” Nicolenco stated for IPN, noting that if the elections are held in June, the candidates of the PLDM, PDM and PL will not win many votes.
She considers the fact that the PLDM and PDM fielded so far no candidate for the post of mayor of Chisinau and made no allusion as to who can run shows that they do not really believe in good results in the elections. “It seems to me that these two parties are not interested in these elections and will not compete for the mayoralty of the capital city. They will allow the Communists to struggle with the Socialists, Renato Usatyi with the Socialists, or the Liberals with Usatyi,” said the analyst.
As to the current Liberal mayor Dorin Chirtoaca, Olga Nicolenco said there is a danger that he will no longer be voted owing to the crisis that hit Parliament, the Government and the political class in general. “The disappointed people will give a blow to the democratic and pro-European direction of the political class,” she stated.
As regards the Socialists, these are now in a state of euphoria because of the result they achieved in the parliamentary elections and think they can win many votes and thus want the elections to take place as soon as possible, but probably omit the fact that Usatyi’s return can be a serious impediment for them. “The Party of Socialists behaved wisely in order to keep their voters. I mean the visit to Moscow and their performance at the sittings of Parliament. I’m sure that in the next sittings they will act so as to attract more supporters,” said Olga Nicolenco.
The term in office of the local elected officials expires on June 5. The legislation does not envision a deadline by which local general elections must be held. However, by analogy with the legal norms concerning the parliamentary elections, the elections should take place by September 5 at the latest, which is within three months of the expiration of the term.
