The referendum on the abrogation of the mixed-member electoral system proposed by a number of nongovernmental organizations can succeed, but the task is very difficult. The issue was developed in the talk show “Politics” on TV8 channel, IPN reports.
Stefan Gligor, programs director of the Center for Politics and Reforms, which is one of the initiators of this proposal, said that by the legislative referendum they aim to abrogate an abuse by which the Democratic Party plans to remain in power. “Realizing that they will never win the parliamentary elections based on the proportional representation system, this party resorted to a manipulating position on the referendum initiative,” he stated, noting that this initiative is a civic one and does not promote the interests of one party or another.
Political analyst Alexei Tulbure said a referendum on the abrogation of the mixed-member electoral system has real chances of succeeding as the initiators proposed holding a legislative referendum that can be organized based on 200,000 signatures in favor and these should not be collected from all over the country. Furthermore, if the citizens vote for abrogation in the referendum, this will be done without putting the issue to the vote in Parliament as the plebiscite has direct legislative power.
Political analyst Anatol Taranu noted that the task of such a referendum is more than difficult. “The confrontation will be between the initiative group that will be supported by some of the parties, which, regrettably, do not have the power that can guarantee the success, and all the others that will work against this idea. This does not yet mean that the initiative should not be promoted,” he stated.
Political analyst Victor Ciobanu said the reforms of such a scale as the electoral system reform can be done by Parliament only for the next legislature. The proportional representation system, despite all its shortcomings, could have been improved by introducing open lists.
A number of civil society organizations suggested initiating and holding, before the parliamentary elections of 2018, a national referendum on the annulment of the law by which changes were made to the Election Code and the mixed-member electoral system was introduced instead of the proportional one.
