Parliament postpones presidential election

During an October 22 meeting, Parliament postponed the presidential election, which was initially scheduled for October 23.

M.P.s from the ruling Alliance for European Integration, who have a legislative majority, said they need ten days to propose changes to the law on the election of the head of state in order to eliminate inconsistencies.

The main problem with the current law, Alliance members argued, was that it is not clear whether elections are valid if only one candidate runs. Only the ruling coalition has put forth a candidate - Democratic Party head Marian Lupu. The opposition Party of Communists has refused to do so.

The Alliance could technically nominate another candidate. The Communists did that after non-Communist M.P.s in the legislature elected on April 5 refused to participate in the presidential election. At that time, the 60 Communist M.P.s voted for then-Prime Minister Zinaida Greceanii. Her two contenders - Stanislav Groppa in the first round and Andrei Neguta in the second - received zero votes, which is unprecedented in Moldovan history.

Alliance members said they would not nominate two candidates in order not to humiliate people like the Communists humiliated Mr. Groppa and Mr. Neguta.

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