Political analyst Roman Mihaes said the Venice Commission’s opinion is not negative, even if it is critical in parts. Asked by IPN to pronounce on this opinion, the analyst said a part of this criticism is reasonable and solutions should be identified to ensure voting in the Transnistrian region and in the diaspora and to also ensure the representation of women and national minorities.
Roman Mihaes said the legal-technical recommendations included in the opinion of the Venice Commission should be introduced for the second reading. As the Venice Commission suggested, a board consensus should be achieved. Public consultations would be held, including on a parliamentary platform, by attracting the expertise of civil society, national and foreign experts.
According to the analyst, most of the polls show the majority of people are for changing the electoral system and this fact should be taken into account. The mixed-member electoral system should be introduced as a condition for reforming the political class, the goal being to ensure a cleaner Parliament, free from corruption and the current political cruising.
“As regards the opportunity, it is the right of the Republic of Moldova as a sovereign state to replace the electoral system, but not in any condition, but based on a broad consensus. An absolute consensus is impossible because the politicians cannot all have the same opinion on a particular electoral system. But I’m sure that a broader consensus in Parliament and in society can be achieved,” stated Roman Mihaes.
The analyst added that the draft law to change the electoral system should be improved in accordance with the recommendations of the Venice Commission by the end of July so that this is voted in the second reading and is published in the Official Gazette and is then retransmitted to the Commission. The Commission’s opinion then will definitely be favorable. Roman Mihaes expressed his conviction that the bill will be improved before the second reading, in accordance with the best electoral practices recommended by the Commission.
The full opinion of the Venice Commission on the draft law for Moldova’s electoral system for the election of Parliament was published on June 19. The authors said the draft law was adopted rapidly in Parliament, without the voting being preceded by broad and open debates in society. The Commission does not recommend implementing such a broad reform without a corresponding consensus. The other objections refer to the keeping of a high threshold that advantages big parties and the increase in the number of voters per polling place from 3,000 to 5,000, which, according to the Commission, will hamper the work of electoral functionaries and will increase the probability of irregularities. Among the major risks posed by the draft law, the Commission’s experts mentioned the fact that constituency members of parliament would be vulnerable to being influenced by business interests and the low representation of women in Parliament. In conclusion, the Venice Commission said the change in the electoral system in the proposed form is inopportune.
