2014 Moldovan parliamentary election

Parliamentary elections were held in Moldova on 30 November 2014. The result was described as "more a loss than a victory" of the incumbent pro-European coalition, with center-right parties divided by sharp tensions.[1] The pro-Russian Party of Socialists (PSRM), composed of former communists, emerged as the largest party in Parliament, gaining 20.51% of votes and winning 25 of the 101 seats. The Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova (PCRM), previously the largest party, dropped from 38 to 21 seats.

2014 Moldovan parliamentary election

30 November 2014
All the 101 seats in Parliament
Turnout	55.80%
First party Second party Third party   Leader Igor Dodon Vlad Filat Vladimir Voronin Party PSRM PLDM PCRM Leader since 2011 2007 1994 Last election 4[lower-alpha 1] 29.42%, 32 seats 39.34%, 38 seats[lower-alpha 1] Seats won 25 23 21 Seat change 21 9 17 Popular vote 327,912 322,201 279,366 Percentage 20.51% 20.16% 17.48%   Fourth party Fifth party   Leader Marian Lupu Mihai Ghimpu Party PDM PL Leader since 2009 1997 Last election 12.70%, 15 seats 9.96%, 12 seats Seats won 19 13 Seat change 4 1 Popular vote 252,489 154,518 Percentage 15.80% 9.67%
Prime Minister before election Iurie Leancă Liberal Democratic Prime Minister Chiril Gaburici Liberal Democratic

Electoral system

The 101 members of Parliament were elected by party-list proportional representation in a single nationwide constituency.[2] There were four separate electoral thresholds: 9 percent for electoral blocs with three or more parties, 7 percent for two-party electoral blocs, 4 percent for single parties or organisations, and 2 percent for independent candidates.[2]

Documents for registration of electoral candidates had to be submitted to the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) between 3 and 30 October 2014.[3] Once formally registered by the CEC, the candidates were allowed to begin campaigning.[4]

Voter turnout had to be over 33 percent for the election to be validated.[2]

Campaign

A total of 41 parties registered at the Ministry of Justice by the 15 September deadline,[5] but the final ballot included 19 parties, one bloc, and four independent candidates.

The main dividing line between the parties was foreign policy, setting the pro-European Union (EU) parties (the Democratic Party, the Liberal Democratic Party, and the Liberal Party) against those supporting rapprochement with the then incoming Eurasian Economic Union and the Russian Federation (PCRM and PSRM). The PSRM was the most radical by offering to cancel the agreement on political association and the free trade zone with the EU, and was openly supported by Russia. The leader of the party, Igor Dodon, publicly met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin.

Participating

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

No.[6][7]	Party or independent candidate's name	Candidate list accepted by the Central Electoral Commission on[8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]
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 — the 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[lower-alpha 2]	13 October 2014
17	Democratic Action Party	27 October 2014
18	Ecologist Green Party	28 October 2014
19	Equality Movement[lower-alpha 3]	29 October 2014
20	Oleg Cernei	29 October 2014
21	Oleg Brega	3 November 2014
22	'Patriots of Moldova' Party	3 November 2014
23	Valeriu Pleșca	6 November 2014
24	Anatolie Doga	7 November 2014
25	Centrist Union of Moldova	6 November 2014
26	For Nation and Country Party	6 November 2014

1. The PSRM contested the 2010 elections as part of the PCRM list. Four of the 42 seats won by the PCRM list were PSRM representatives.
2. Declared withdrawn on 27 November 2014. However, its name appeared on the ballot paper, as it was too late to remove it.
3. On 22 November 2014, the CEC announced that it had accepted the party's decision to withdraw from the election.

Withdrawn

The candidate list of the Republican Socio-Political Movement Equality was accepted by the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) on 29 October 2014; however, the party later decided to withdraw from the election. On 22 November 2014, the CEC announced that it had accepted the withdrawal.[16]

The Homeland Party was declared withdrawn from the election by the Chișinău Court of Appeal on 27 November 2014, for having used foreign financial resources during the campaign.[17] Because ballot papers had already been printed, it was too late to remove the party's name (as was previously done for the Socio-political Movement 'Ravnopravie'). Instead, a stamp marked "withdrawn" was applied next to the party's name.[18] The Supreme Court of Justice of Moldova rejected the party's appeal on 29 November 2014.[19]

Opinion polls

Party	2010 elections		Opinion Polls
	Seats	%	Jan 2013	Apr 2013	Apr 2013	May 2013[20]	Oct 2013	Nov 2013[21]	Nov 2013[22]	March 2014[23]	April 2014[24]	May 2014[25]	June 2014[26]	July 2014[27]	September 2014[28]
PCRM	42	39.32	31.8	50.2	41.8	53.9	39.3	49.6	50.8	48.7	44.5	41.7	36.6	36.2	35.6
PLDM	32	29.42	26.5	19.5	24.7	17.4	16.9	19.7	19.1	28.3	26.5	19.2	23.9	26.1	28.3
PDM	15	12.7	11.9	10.5	13.9	11.9	10.2	13.2	12.7	12.8	14.6	10.2	13.8	14.5	16.2
PL	12	9.96	14.8	16.2	10.4	10.3	7.1	8.8	11.1	10.2	14.3	8.9	10.1	11.6	9.6
PSRM	—	—	1.5	0.9	4.7	2.0	4.9	0.9	0.6	—	—	8.3	1.8	4.3	—
PLR	new	—	—	—	—	—	2.6	2.5	1.6	—	—	0.9	5.9	—	—
MPA	new	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	1.8	—	—	2.8	—	2.9	—
PPCD	0	0.53	—	0.3	—	0.9	—	1.3	—	—	—	1.2	—	—	—
PSD	0	0.59	—	0.8	—	0.3	—	—	1.2	—	—	—	—	—	—
PAD	new	—	—	—	—	0.5	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
PPM	new	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	1.3	—	—	—
PaRuS	new	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	10.2

Results

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Party of Socialists	327,912	20.51	25	+21
	Liberal Democratic Party	322,201	20.16	23	–9
	Party of Communists	279,366	17.48	21	–17
	Democratic Party of Moldova	252,489	15.80	19	+4
	Liberal Party	154,518	9.67	13	+1
	Communist Reformist Party	78,716	4.92	0	New
	'Moldova's Choice - Customs Union' Electoral Bloc	55,089	3.45	0	New
	Popular Movement Anti-Mafia Party	27,846	1.74	0	New
	Liberal Reformist Party	24,956	1.56	0	New
	People's Party of Moldova	12,110	0.76	0	New
	Christian-Democratic People's Party	11,782	0.74	0	0
	Force of the People Party	11,665	0.73	0	New
	National Liberal Party	6,858	0.43	0	0
	Revival Party	4,158	0.26	0	New
	Democratic Action Party	2,564	0.16	0	New
	Democracy at Home	2,449	0.15	0	New
	For Nation and Country Party	1,697	0.11	0	0
	Patriots of Moldova	1,498	0.09	0	0
	Ecologist Green Party	1,360	0.09	0	0
	Centrist Union	633	0.04	0	New
	Independents	18,651	1.18	0	0
Invalid/blank votes		50,884	–	–	–
Total		1,649,508	100	101	0
Registered voters/turnout		2,956,270	55.80	–	–
Source: CEC

References

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