2014 Moldovan parliamentary election Sunday Nov 30,2014

 

Parliamentary elections will be held in Moldova on November  30,2014 which will be the eighth parliamentary election since independence in 1991

A total of 41 parties can participate in the election, as they have been officially registered at the Ministry of Justice by the September 15,2014 deadline

Each party had to submit its list of candidates to the Central Electoral Commission between  October 3–30,2014

The Central Electoral Commission registered 25 participants in the election (20 political parties, 1 electoral bloc and 4 independent candidates)

No.	Party or independent candidate's name	Candidate list accepted by the Central Electoral Commission on
1	Democratic Party of Moldova	10 October 2014
2	Christian-Democratic People's Party	10 October 2014
3	Force of the People Party	10 October 2014
4	Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova	10 October 2014
5	Liberal Reformist Party	10 October 2014
6	Communist Reformist Party of Moldova	10 October 2014
7	Popular Movement Anti-Mafia Party	10 October 2014
8	National Liberal Party	10 October 2014
9	Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova	10 October 2014
10	'Moldova's Choice - Customs Union' Electoral Bloc	10 October 2014
11	'Democracy at Home' Political Party	10 October 2014
12	People's Party of Moldova	10 October 2014
13	Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova	10 October 2014
14	Liberal Party	10 October 2014
15	Revival Party	10 October 2014
16	'Homeland' Party(*)	13 October 2014
17	Democratic Action Party	27 October 2014
18	Ecologist Green Party	28 October 2014
19	Oleg Cernei	29 October 2014
20	Oleg Brega	3 November 2014
21	'Patriots of Moldova' Party	3 November 2014
22	Valeriu Pleșca	6 November 2014
23	Anatolie Doga	7 November 2014
24	Centrist Union of Moldova	6 November 2014
25	For Nation and Country Party	6 November 2014

On Sunday Moldova holds parliamentary elections that could decide whether the former Soviet nation continues on the path it has followed for the last five years, towards the EU, or turns back towards Russia.

Polls suggest the vote will be close, with the latest showing the pro-EU parties holding a slim majority.

Moldova, home to a population of 3.5 million, is often described as the poorest country in Europe.

A quarter of the country’s GDP is estimated to come from remittances of Moldovans working abroad, most of them in Russia.

The official language is Romanian, but many Moldovans’ first language is Russian and, like Ukraine, the country is divided between those who feel they are more European and those who feel closer to Russia. Moldova even has its own breakaway self-governing region in the east, Transnistria, where 1,500 Russian soldiers are stationed, the legacy of a 1992 civil war.

Following the last parliamentary elections, in 2009, a coalition of three pro-EU parties formed a working majority in the 101-seat parliament, replacing the Communist party, which had dominated since independence in 1991.

Vladimir Voronin, leader of Moldova's Communist party, casts his vost in Chisinau, Moldova

Moldovan students gathered with signs 'I vote pro-Europe', 'We want democracy' and 'we want justice'

 Moldovan residents voted in the crucial election  which saw the three pro-European parties record the highest number of votes - it is thought they will now form a 'grand coalition'

The sign which translates as 'I vote pro-Europe' demonstrates the feeling of pro EU sentiment in the country

The three main pro-Europe parties in Moldova have about 44 % of the vote, despite the pro-Russian Socialist party receiving the highest number of votes in the election.

This will see them hold 57-58 seats in Moldova's 101-seat parliament, while the two pro-Russian opposition parties will get 43-44 seats.

Turnout at yesterday's election was just under 56 per cent, the central electoral commission said, out of a total of 2.7 million eligible voters.

In the election results, the pro-Russian Socialist Party led with more than 21 % of the vote. 

In second place were the pro-EU Liberal Democrats with 19 %. The party wants Moldova to achieve EU candidate status by 2017 and full membership by 2020.

The Communist Party - a Soviet era survivor that still uses the hammer and sickle as its symbol -  was in third with almost 18%

Two other pro-Europe parties - the Democrats and the Liberals - are on 16 % and 9 % respectively.

It is now thought they will try to form a pro-European 'grand coalition' although that is likely to face opposition from Vladimir Putin's Russia.