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1 1 (July 11, 2019)

handle is hein.crs/govbaku0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional Research Ser~4ce Informi ig the legislative debate since 1914 Updated July 11, 2019 Moldova: An Overview On June 14, 2019, a political crisis in Moldova ended when the formerly ruling Democratic Party of Moldova (PDM) agreed to dissolve the outgoing government in favor of a new, democratically elected coalition. The coalition consists of a reform-oriented, Western-leaning alliance, ACUM (or Now) and the socially conservative, Russian- leaning Party of Socialists, which placed first in Moldova's February 2019 elections. The coalition came together to unseat the PDM; given the parties' differing policy orientations, it is uncertain how long it will last. Moldova is one of three post-Soviet states, together with Ukraine and Georgia, that have sought greater integration with the West while coping with separatist territories occupied by Russian forces. Many Members of Congress have long supported Moldova's democratic trajectory and territorial integrity and have called on Russia to respect Moldova's sovereignty and to withdraw its military forces. Rising Discontent Moldova's political environment was increasingly contentious before the recent transition. The PDM gained power in 2016 after the prior government collapsed amid fallout from a bank fraud case involving the alleged loss of some $1 billion, equivalent to more than 12% of Moldova's gross domestic product (GDP). ACUM leaders and many observers contend that the PDM, in particular then-party leader and wealthy businessman Vlad Plahotniuc, effectively captured Moldova's state institutions for personal and party gain. In summer 2018, protestors opposed a court decision to annul a snap mayoral election in Chisinau, Moldova's capital, which had been won by Andrei Nastase, who later became one of ACUM's two co-leaders (and is now minister of internal affairs). Political Transition Elections to Moldova's 101-seat parliament were held on February 24, 2019 (for results, see Table 1). International observers said the elections were competitive but tainted by allegations of pressure on public employees, strong indications of vote buying, and the misuse of state resources. Table I. February 2019 Parliamentary Elections Party List Single Mandate Total Party Seats (%) Seats Seats Party of Socialists 18 (31%) 17 35 ACUM 14 (27%) 12 26 PDM 13 (24%) 17 30 Shor Party 5 (8%) 2 7 Independents - 3 3 Source: Central Election Commission of the Republic of Moldova. After the election, Moldova lacked a new government for almost three months, while leading parties held coalition negotiations. A political crisis arose on June 8, when the Constitutional Court, which observers considered to be under the PDM's influence, issued a series of controversial rulings pronouncing the newly announced ACUM-Socialist government illegitimate and authorizing then-acting prime minister Pavel Filip (of the PDM) to act as president, dissolve parliament, and call new elections. Figure I. Moldova at a Glance Source: Moldova National Bureau of Statistics and IMF (does not include Transnistria). Figure created by CRS. For a week, tensions escalated as Moldova had two rival governments. After parliament approved the ACUM- Socialist Cabinet, Prime Minister Maia Sandu appealed to Moldova's civil servants and the international community to recognize its authority. PDM leaders, including Filip and Plahotniuc, insisted on the legality of the court's rulings; they also claimed the Socialists had accepted illegal financing from Russia and accused Russia of plotting to establish dominance over Moldova by taking advantage of the inexperienced ACUM. Facing unified international discontent, the PDM backed down on June 14 and Plahotniuc left Moldova (temporarily, he says). Another politician that reportedly fled was Ilan Shor, a regional mayor and head of another party to enter parliament. Shor is appealing a seven-year prison sentence for his alleged role in Moldova's $1 billion bank fraud. After the transition, the Constitutional Court repealed its controversial rulings and the court's chairman resigned. The court's other judges followed suit, after the Council of Europe's Venice Commission, an international legal advisory body, issued an opinion that found that conditions for dissolving parliament clearly did not exist. https:/crsreports.congress go

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