Moldova's new Western-leaning coalition made an unsuccessful attempt today (7 December) to get its candidate elected as president by parliament and end months of deadlock. The troubled country now heads for early parliamentary elections. Moldovan Communist Party lawmakers walked out of parliament in Chisinau while a crucial vote to elect a new president was held. Marian Lupu, the candidate of the Alliance for European Integration, obtained only 53 votes, short of the 61 needed to have him elected as head of state. By leaving parliament, the Communist lawmakers, marshalled by former President Vladimir Voronin, repeated a strategy they had already used on 10 November, preventing communist dissidents from voting for Lupu. According to Moldova's constitution, after two failed attempts to elect a president the country now heads for early parliamentary elections.
Moldovan Communist Party lawmakers walked out of parliament in Chisinau while a crucial vote to elect a new president was held. Marian Lupu, the candidate of the Alliance for European Integration, obtained only 53 votes, short of the 61 needed to have him elected as head of state.
By leaving parliament, the Communist lawmakers, marshalled by former President Vladimir Voronin, repeated a strategy they had already used on 10 November, preventing communist dissidents from voting for Lupu. According to Moldova's constitution, after two failed attempts to elect a president the country now heads for early parliamentary elections.
