Moldova Communist President Resigns after Election Loss

"I will not hide that I am handing the reins of power to a new team with a heavy heart," Vladimir Voronin said in the farewell message. Photo by moldova.md

Moldova President, Vladimir Voronin, has announced that he is resigning following the defeat of his Communist Party in recent elections.

He still has no clear successor, however, amid continued deadlock in parliament which requires a three-fifths majority to elect a new head of state.

Voronin's statement on ceding power was registered in the secretariat of parliament, while the Communist Party's mouthpieces in the press printed a valedictory message.

"I will not hide that I am handing the reins of power to a new team with a heavy heart," he said in the farewell message.

He fired a parting shot at liberal opponents who waged a battle with the Communists over allegations of voting fraud and overcame their own divisions to defeat the ruling party in legislative elections.

"I do not believe that politicians who came together on the basis of negative emotions are capable of offering society a positive programme," Voronin said.

Voronin, who had to step down after two terms, has effectively been a lame duck president since a Western-leaning coalition of four liberal parties narrowly defeated the Communist Party in July polls.

Moldova's new Parliament was convened for the first time on August 28; it is dominated by a coalition of four parties called "Alliance for European Integration", which hold 53 of the total of 101 MP seats.

The new alliance is expected to create a governing coalition and to present a joint nomination for the presidency that was occupied by communist Voronin.

 

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