The association Promo-LEX regrets the adoption of the law to replace the party-list proportional representation system with the mixed-member electoral system by Parliament on July 20. In a statement, Promo-LEX says the electoral system was changed without taking into account the main recommendation of the Venice Commission, which says that the introduction of the mixed electoral system in Moldova is not recommendable. Moreover, in its opinion the Venice Commission reiterated that in 2003 it recommended Moldova to change the proportional representation system with one constituency for a proportional system with plurinominal constituencies, IPN reports.
Promo-LEX considers it was opportune to introduce a proportional electoral system with plurinominal constituencies and open lists of candidates. The association reaffirms its support for the return to the proportional electoral system by establishing plurinominal constituencies and open lists of candidates in conditions of the rule of law.
Even if the law to change the electoral system contains provisions that were promoted earlier by Promo-LEX, such as the establishment of electoral districts in the Transnistrian region and the citizens who are abroad, the associating considers the given law contains serious shortcomings such as the empowerment of a political body to set up single-member constituencies, which is by the Government that is controlled by the parliamentary alliance, and non-specification of the borders of uninominal constituencies in the Election Code.
Also, the constitutional provisions stipulating that Parliament is the supreme representative body and the election of MPs by one round of voting only will ensure reduced representativeness compared with the presidential and mayoral elections, which are held in two rounds, were neglected. The ignoring of the Venice Commission’s recommendation about the election threshold is another shortcoming. Compared with the previous proportional system, when one political party with popular support of 6% could delegate at least six MPs, the new electoral system enables such a party to delegate only three MPs.
Promo-LEX warns that the mixed-member electoral system can lead to continuous partial elections in single-member constituencies. The costs for holding parliamentary elections and election campaigns will increase as will the risk of corrupting voters, especially in single-member constituencies. The risk of “corrupting” MPs by selective allocation of financial resources from public money for delivering their electoral promises on the territory of the single-member electoral district where they were elected will also rise.
Promo-LEX considers the mixed electoral system has more disadvantages than the party-list proportional representation system, especially that with plurinominal constituencies and open lists of candidates.
Parliament on July 20 adopted in the final reading the bill to amend the Election Code, whereby the mixed-member electoral system is introduced instead of the party-list proportional representation system. The same day, President Igor Dodon promulgated the law and on July 21 this was published in the Official Gazette. When the vote was held in Parliament and the next day, representatives of NGOs and extraparliamentary parties mounted protests in front of the Parliament Building.
