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| Title | Moldovan parliament fails to elect president |
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Country | Republic of Moldova |
| Publication Date | 16 December 2011 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Moldovan parliament fails to elect president, 16 December 2011, available at: http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/4f1431bb23.html [accessed 31 May 2012] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Moldovan parliament fails to elect president
December 16, 2011
Moldova's parliament has failed to select a new president.
Parliament speaker and interim president Marian Lupu, the only candidate, won 58-3, but did not receive the two-thirds of the vote required because of a Communist boycott.
The ruling pro-Western coalition does not have the 61 votes in the 101-strong parliament needed to elect the head of state and opposition Communists – the largest party in parliament – have refused to compromise.
Three deputies who defected from the Communist party last month and might have helped Lupu get elected voted against him.
Marian Lupu told RFE/RL that the Communist leadership "locked" its deputies to prevent defectors from casting their vote.
"Based on the information we have, they [the Communist deputies] are not simply absent, they have been literally locked away together somewhere," Lupu said.
The Communists did not comment on Lupu's statement.
A new ballot to choose a president of Moldova will be held in January. If no one wins, parliament will be dissolved and replaced in a new election.
Moldova, one of Europe's poorest countries, has been in a political deadlock since 2009.
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
Topics: Political situation,
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