PRESIDENT DODON ASSESSES SNAP ELECTION PROBABILITY AT 70% ALREADY

Moldova President Igor Dodon estimates the probability of an early parliamentary election against the formation of a governing coalition at 70% against 30%, he stated during the “Friday with Anatoly Golea” live program cast weekly on the RTR-Moldova television channel.

Dodon reminded that earlier on Friday the PSRM All-Republican Council officially determined the Socialists’ conditions for negotiations on creating a governing coalition with the political bloc ACUM.

“Such is the Party’s position. Other variants [negotiations with the Democratic Party] were not considered. If the coalition negotiations fail, we will go for a snap election, and citizens will decide what should be next”, said Dodon.

In his words, too much time has already been lost, so an early parliamentary election can hardly be held earlier than next autumn, say, in late September or early October.

“However, there still is a chance of forming a governing coalition with the ACUM bloc. I presume that with a parliament dissolution date approaching, the ACUM constituent parties will be getting increasingly more tractable. But if their instinct of self-preservation fails to work and if they do not agree to a coalition, then a snap election will be held in Moldova, and they will sustain a resounding defeat. I guess they realize this very well. They really don’t need a snap election”, said Igor Dodon.

In his opinion, in case of an early poll, the PSRM has high chances for improving its February 24 election result and, accordingly, to win more parliamentary mandates.

“Even if the elections are held on the basis of the current mixed election system, we should say that in 10-15 electoral constituencies the Socialists lost just peanuts, with a difference of a few tens of ballots. At an early election, the situation will be different. Citizens will make conclusions, and will no more vote for spoilers such as Renato Usatii [Our Party] or Shor [Ilan Shor Party]. It is exactly because the people voted for them that we lost in some constituencies. In Chisinau city alone, for instance, we short-received 2 mandates for this very reason. So now the Socialists should win these mandates”, said the informal PSRM leader.

Igor Dodon stated also that should an early election be really held, he may stand for parliament as a PSRM candidate.

The President believes in a possibility to achieve compromises with the ACUM bloc on some problems. For instance, it is possible to revise the Law on transition to the mixed election system.

Dodon stated also that the Socialists will not be insisting on breaking up the EU-Moldova Association Agreement and will be standing for waging a weighted foreign policy.

The President also said there is a risk of a failure to hold local elections this year: “According to the law, local elections are appointed by parliament. The 2019 local election in Moldova may be held not before June 14. So, with an account of a 60-day-long election campaign, the Parliament must set an election date (say, for June 23 or June 30) by not later than the end of April. So, if this incumbent Parliament fails to start working in the nearest days to appoint a voting day, then we will have to address to the Constitutional Court for an explanation of the situation. But it is already apparent that the local elections may fail to be held in 2019”.