The Popular Anti-Mafia Movement Party called on the unionist parties not to put forward their own candidates for the position of mayor of the capital, but to support a common candidate. In an IPN press conference, Daniela Bodrug, vice president of Anti-Mafia, said that the National Liberal Party and the Democracy at Home Party have responded to the invitation to discuss the topic of a common candidate. The appeal was also sent to the Liberal Party, the Party of National Unity, the Save Bessarabia Union and the Romanian People's Party.
According to Daniela Bodrug, it is important that the unionist parties unite their forces now, "when in the political sphere is dominated by the ACUM-Dodon binomial". The common candidate should be the paragon of unionist aspirations, a competent person, while not necessarily being a party member.
According to the National Liberal Party leader, Vitalia Pavlicenco, the consolidation of unionist parties is attempted since 2012, however, the attempts have failed every time. Attempts are unsuccessful due to the "condemnable interference of the Romanian forces, who use Moldovan political parties in their own petty electoral interests", said the PNL president. Vitalia Pavlicenco added that some fresh unionist party leaders, who recently took over leadership positions, hope that they will deliver far better results than their predecessors.
The politician said that if the consolidation attempt fails, then PNL will put forward the candidacy of a woman for the mayoral office, however, Vitalia Pavlicenco did not offer additional details. Furthermore, Pavlicenco announced that she is withdrawing from the party's leadership position on October 25.
The leader of the Democracy at Home Party, Vasile Costiuc, believes that "the city must be saved from a pro-Russian candidate, who has a real chance to get his hands on the capital". According to him, the right-wing pro-European Romanian electorate will boycott the potential second round of elections in the capital, even if the other candidate is a member of the ACUM bloc. Vasile Costiuc said that the Democracy at Home Party would also put forward a candidate for the mayoral office, if the unionist parties do not reach an agreement regarding a common candidate.
The parties expressed their willingness to consolidate their efforts, at the latest until September 19, when the deadline for candidate registration at the Electoral Council of the Chisinau Electoral District expires.
