Eurasia Press & News
Moldova’s communists announced on Wednesday that they will boycott parliament to protest against the governing liberal coalition’s decision to hold a referendum on changing the constitution in a bid to avoid early elections.
Moldova has been locked in political turmoil since the pro-Western Alliance for European Integration (AEI) coalition narrowly defeated the Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova (PCRM) in last year’s parliamentary polls.
The inability of the new legislature to elect a new president has contributed to Moldova’s severe economic crisis.
MPs have twice failed to elect a new president – which, under the Moldovan constitution, requires the dissolution of parliament and a fresh general election.
The AEI wants a referendum to change the country’s constitution to avoid elections.
The PCRM wants a referendum before June 16 to seek a vote of no confidence in the ruling AEI to prevent the dissolution of parliament.
The party, which holds 43 out of 101 seats, will propose that the president be elected by popular vote rather than by MPs.
