Moldova: More political noise in prospect
Overview:
Repeat parliamentary elections have delivered a significant advance for the opposition parties in Moldova. The Communist Party maintains the largest number of seats but has secured twelve less than in controversial elections held in April. The conduct of the elections has generally been considered to have been adequate and there has, this time around, been no repeat of the violent scenes witnessed after the April vote. However, the electoral outcome is far from reducing political noise in Moldova. Neither the opposition nor the Communists are in a strong position to elect a President in parliament. Indeed, it remains to be seen whether the opposition can function as a united force to maximise their chances of doing so. In the meantime, the absence of a stable government is worsening the already severe economic downturn.