The implementation of elements of a majority system based on single-mandate constituencies in a societally divided state, which does not fully control its territory and witnesses a massive exodus of the population, is very dangerous. The proposal to replace the electoral system has powerful political undertones and contains many technical-legal inconveniences that were revealed by civil society and were clearly indicated in the Venice Commission‘s opinion, Ion Tabarta, expert of the Institute for Development and Social Initiative “Viitorul”, says in the study “Electoral system change in the Republic of Moldova – impact on the Moldovan political system” that was launched on July 5, IPN reports.
The study points to particular political players’ interest in the replacement of the electoral system. The bill to replace the electoral system is insistently prompted by the ruling party. The goal of the electoral system change is to establish single-mandate constancies either fully (majority system) or partially (mixed-member system). The arguments in favor of the change are selective. Only the advantages of the introduction of the mixed-member system are provided, while the disadvantages are omitted. In the case of the proportional voting system, only the disadvantages are emphasized, while the advantages are overlooked.
The study author says the draft law to replace the electoral system contains a lot of technical-legal shortcomings and gaps that could have been introduced on purpose. It is not clear how the territorial-demographic criterion can be applied in single-mandate constituencies abroad. The provisions about the territory from the left side of the Nistru, which is not controlled by the central authorities, contain dangerous elements for the constitutionality of the Republic of Moldova. The possibility of winning the elections in single-mandate constituencies by a relative majority of votes is open to question as this can distort the real election outcome in single-mandate constituencies in favor of electoral players.
According to Ion Tabarta, the party-list system as the foundation for modern democracy can be seriously affected as the functional territorial loyalty based on political clans will increase. The pluripartitism of the Moldovan party-list system can be replaced with a two-party system that would advantage large parties to the detriment of the small ones. In a society that is polarized according to geopolitical criteria, such as the Moldovan one, such a political system can have very big negative consequences that can lead to a rupture.
Ion Tabarta also said that the debates on the electoral system change staged by the government are manipulating in character.
