Moldova’s Pro-EU President Clashes With Parliament Over PM

Moldova's pro-Western President Maia Sandu stepped deeper into an all-out confrontation with parliament on Thursday when she rejected its nomination of a new prime minister - and again put forward a rival candidate with no support among MPs.

Sanda again proposed Natalia Gavrilita to form a government on Thursday - hours after she failed to receive any votes in parliament for her programme.

Sandu also rejected the candidate of the opposition Moldovan Socialist Party, the Shor Party and the "For Moldova" parliamentary group, the former ambassador and economist Mariana Durlesteanu.

Durlesteanu was ambassador to Britain from 2004 to 2008 before becoming Finance Minister in the communist-led government of Zianaida Grecianii from 2008 until 2009, when she started working in the private sector.

Her nomination gathered the support of 54 of the 101 deputies in parliament - a clear majority.

However, Sandu refused to accept Durlesteanu as the proposed candidate of parliament, saying she would not promote people supported by a "corrupt" parliamentary majority.

Under the constitution, the head of state is bound to nominate the candidate for prime minister proposed by the parliamentary majority.

The Socialist Party, PSRM, condemned Sandu's refusal to appoint Durlesteanu, calling it an usurpation of power and announced an appeal to the Moldovan Constitutional Court.

"Any refusal by the President [to appoint the candidate of the majority] is a severe violation of the constitution and will bring legal and political consequences," PSRM leader and former Moldovan president Igor Dodon said.

Dodon said the President could not ignore parliament's will in a parliamentary republic like Moldova.

The PSRM may now move,...

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