In the campaign prior to the presidential elections of November 1, only five of the eight electoral competitors published their electoral programs. Of the five, only three candidates presented relatively detailed electoral programs. The other candidates presented succinct or even superficial programs and only made verbal promises. The analysis of the electoral programs and promises reveals their tendency to go beyond the powers of President defined by the Constitution. Most of the electoral promises from the social and economic spheres are not financially feasible, says an analysis carried out by the Independent Think Tank “Expert-Grup”, in partnership with Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) Moldova, which was presented on October 16, IPN reports.
FES program coordinator Ana Mihailov said that in the short term the study can serve as a useful instrument for the journalists who will stage electoral debates. In the medium- and long-term, such analyses will contribute to developing critical thinking in the general public and, consequently, to the accountability of the political class.
Expert-Grup executive director Adrian Lupușor said the fact that only five electoral contenders published their electoral programs, and only three detailed programs, shows that these didn’t allocate sufficient time and attention to this important document. It is a confirmation of the fact that Moldovan politics does not mean only debates between visions and doctrines, but is also a struggle between persons. This is evidently not a good feature and it runs counter to the democratic traditions.
Adrian Lupușor said the candidates go beyond the powers of President defined by the Constitution. Under the Constitution, Moldova is a parliamentary state and this suggests that the key role in promoting policies and reforms is played by Parliament, while the President has a limited range of powers that are primarily limited to defense and foreign policy. In many cases, the promises give the impression that a tender contest for votes is held – who promises a higher pension? Moreover, most of the times the electoral candidates do not specify how and from where they will take the necessary financial resources and instruments from to deliver the made promises.
The authors of the analysis call on the electoral competitors to make realistic electoral promises, to detach themselves from populism and to suggest complex views about the President’s role in developing the country. The electoral promises should match the constitutional mandate, should stipulate realistic instruments that would ensure their feasibility, such as sources of financing, implementation instruments and concrete targets, and should be opportune for the balanced and sustainable socioeconomic development of the country.
The experts condemn the irresponsibility of the election runners who make promises without taking into account the financial possibilities and the fiscal framework of the country and also the mandate of Moldova’s President in accordance with the Constitution. “We call on civil society and the mass media to critically and thoroughly analyze, monitor and inform the general public about the essence of the electoral promises and, later, about their implementation. This will enable to make the politicians more responsible in the long-run, to develop a political class of a higher quality, which is one of the preconditions for reforming and modernizing the country.”
