Moldova will switch over to the joint electoral system. Half of the MPs will be elected according to party lists, while the other half in uninominal constituencies. Thus, the people in the legislative elections will mark two ballots. The Transnistrians and the voters from abroad will vote only in the national constituency, IPN reports.
The bill proposed by the Democratic MP Vlad Plahotniuc was passed in the final reading by 64 votes. The Communists left the assembly hall in protest, before the bill was put to the vote, while the Liberals who support Mihai Ghimpu abstained.
In the next parliamentary elections, besides the national constituency that covers the whole territory of Moldova and the polling places from abroad, there will be established 50 uninominal constituencies.
The distribution of seats according to party lists will be done according to the same procedure as now. As regards the uninominal constituencies, the candidate for the post of MP is considered elected if he/she polled more than half of the votes cast in their constituency. If no candidate garners more than half of the votes, there is held the second round of voting.
If a person runs on a party list and in a constituency and wins in both cases, priority is given to the seat of MP won in the uninominal constituency.
The bill also reduces the minimum required turnout of voters from 1/3 to 1/4 (25%).
The authors said that such systems exist in many countries with advanced democracies. They ensure greater access to decision making and make the political parties more responsible. From social viewpoint, the proposed changes offer the people greater access to decision making at legislative level, through the agency of the elected MP, given that they are dependent on the vote of every resident of the constituency.
