Moldova’s Democrat and Communist parties discuss new pro-European ruling coalition

Moldova’s Democrat and Communist parties discuss new pro-European ruling coalition
By Iulian Ernst in Bucharest November 4, 2015

Moldova’s Democrat Party (PD), which prompted the fall of its own coalition government and is currently conducting negotiations for a new ruling majority, said on November 3 that it has approached for a partnership the Communist Party (PCRM) of Vladimir Voronin.

PD is ready to accept PCRM as a partner if the communists stick to the country's pro-European orientation, parliamentary speaker and PD vice-president Andrian Candu said, quoted by jurnal.md.

The PCRM has so far partly accepted the pro-European orientation, advocating for amendments to the Association Agreement with the European Union. However, their participation in a self-declared pro-European alliance would raise significant question marks over the coalition’s commitment for reforms at a moment when the country already lacks credibility following repeated political crises.

Nonetheless, according to rumours circulated before the parliamentary elections last November, PCRM's participation in a would-be coalition in Moldova would be seen as an acceptable compromise among the decision-makers within the European Union. This option would likely be even more acceptable now, when early elections would predictably strengthen the pro-Russian parties.

The Democrat Party's invitation will put pressure on its former partners, the Liberal Democrat (PLDM), which is already feeling betrayed by the Democrats. PLDM has scheduled for November 4 broad internal debates on the continuation of its partnership with the PD. The party’s interim president, former prime minister Vladimir Strelet, has spoken out against renewing the partnership with PD, but this would open the door for a split in the party. The final outcome of the debates is still unclear.

If the Democrats agree with the Communist Party on a new ruling coalition, they will still need the support of some of PLDM's MPs to hold a majority in parliament.

The Communist Party seems to have accepted the possibility of an alliance with PD, at least in principle. PCRM's leader Vladimir Voronin made no statement, but communist MP Artur Resetnicov spoke in favour of a compromise political solution aimed at preventing deeper political crisis.

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