Abstract
In this chapter, I examine the role of constitutional politics in Moldova. I argue that executive-legislative relations, questions concerning rule of law, and disputes over the identity of the polity are the dominant features of constitutional politics in the post-soviet Moldovan context. I find that most amendments of the constitution, both successful and unsuccessful, were driven by dysfunctions of the political system, and intense power struggles among the elite. Thus, the constitutional amendments present a picture torn between tendencies that harm democracy (i.e. the reduction of the autonomy of judges in 2002) and something resembling democratization. At the same time, I argue that the influence of external actors, e.g. the Council of Europe, the Venice Commission and Russia, is ambiguous and limited.
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Notes
- 1.
Pridnestrovian Moldovan Republic (Pridnestrowskaja Moldawskaja Respublika, in the following Transnistria).
- 2.
See, for example, Steinsdorff and Fruhstorfer (2012).
- 3.
According to participants in the constitutional commission, President Snegur would have preferred a constitution modeled after the French constitution as of 1962 (Matsuzato 2006, 330) in terms of presidential power.
- 4.
These three types differ in the majority necessary for their implementation, the number of voting rounds in parliament, and the areas in which they regulate (see Law on legislative acts 2001).
- 5.
Several authors also discuss the question of democratization before federalization (for example Protsyk 2005).
- 6.
The data on this specific constitutional amendment vary, as it was according to reports not registered. Quinlan (2002, 99) reports 90 deputies out of 104 voted in favor during the first round and 84 in favor and 4 against after the presidential veto, some indication might be that only 95 members were present and 5 voted against it.
- 7.
I counted in addition 4 unsuccessful constitutional amendment attempts in relation to the proposal put forward by President Lucinschi (or his supporters) between May and October 2000.
- 8.
Comment of a non-communist member of parliament: “None of us had carefully read the law concerning the procedure of election of the president” (cited according to Quinlan 2002, 100).
- 9.
Distribution according to d’Hondt (Adept 2001).
- 10.
Consisting of the Liberal Democratic Party (Partidul Liberal Democrat din Moldova—PLDM), the Liberal Party (Partidul Liberal—PL), the PDM and Our Moldova Alliance (Partidul Alianţă Moldova Noastră—AMN).
- 11.
Although the communist party still had a relative majority, the four smaller opposition parties established the Alliance for European Integration and formed a government.
- 12.
Art. 70 was also part of the 1470-XV 2002 amendment law (immunity and remuneration of parliamentary deputies outside parliament), which was already an issue in 1998 with a failed constitutional amendment (Azizov, and Buscaneanu, pers. comm.). However, I was not able to discover the reason for this failure. In 2002, Art. 70, Sec. 1 was amended to allow deputies scientific and didactic occupations outside of parliament.
- 13.
Similar provisions were also discussed in Bulgaria (Hein 2013, 360) and Romania (see the country chapter in this volume).
- 14.
These drafts failed on March 23, 1998, July 14, 2000 and November 18, 2005 (N. Azizov, and S. Buscaneanu, pers. comm.).
- 15.
These drafts failed on March 23, 1997.
- 16.
This process was completed with the addition to the law on citizenship in July 2003, which allowed different forms of acquiring citizenship. These modifications triggered a Romanian response in restricting their citizenship laws, especially the process of restitution.
- 17.
According to Büscher, no legislative initiative of Gagauzia had been passed as a bill yet (Büscher 2010, 598). However, two other amendments, which were also tabled in 2003, failed. They would have changed Art. 72 (categories of laws) and 102 (decisions by the government). This draft was also considered, but subsequently excluded from the parliamentary agenda.
- 18.
Voronin was born in Corjova, a town located in today’s Transnistria.
- 19.
Although joint endeavor should not be overemphasized as Transnistria was forced by the treat of a visa ban through the EU and the US (European Commission 2005, 10).
- 20.
Demonstrations against this revaluation of the Russian language were primarily led by the Christian-Democratic People's Party (Partidul Popular Creștin Democrat—PPCD), under the logo of Romanian people-Romanian language.
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Appendix: Constitutional Politics in Moldova 1994–2014
Appendix: Constitutional Politics in Moldova 1994–2014
Dates of Amendment and Implementation | Articles | Constitutional subfields | Short analysis of the reform process |
|---|---|---|---|
07/19/1996 | Art. 116 | • Judiciary | • Regular amendment • Main actors: unclear (final vote: not detectable) • Initiated by President Snegur |
07/05/2000 | Art.74, 78, 80, 82–83 (deleted), 85, 89–91, 98, 100–102, 106A (new), 106B (new), 124, 131, 135–136, 141 | • Legislation • President • Legislature • Executive • Judiciary • Revision of the constitution | • Regular amendment with broad majority (final vote: 92 out of 101) • Main actors: all parliamentary parties in conflict with the president (reaction to a referendum) • Initiated by deputies |
07/12/2001 | Art. 24–25, 30, 54–55 | • Fundamental rights and freedoms | • Regular amendment (final vote: not detectable) • Initiated by deputies |
11/21/2002 | Art. 17–19 | • Fundamental rights, freedoms and duties/citizenship | • Regular amendment (final vote: not detectable) • initiated by deputies |
11/21/2002 | Art. 70 | • Legislature | • Regular amendment (final vote: not detectable) • Initiated by deputies |
11/21/2002 | Art. 115–116, 122–123 | • Judiciary | • Regular amendment (final vote: not detectable) • Initiated by deputies |
07/25/2003 | Art. 73, 110 | • Legislation • Administrative-territorial organization | • Regular amendment (voting results: not detectable) • Initiated by deputies |
06/29/2006 | Art. 24 | • Fundamental rights and freedoms | • Regular amendment (final vote: 82 out of 101) • Initiated by deputies and government |
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Fruhstorfer, A. (2016). Moldova. In: Fruhstorfer, A., Hein, M. (eds) Constitutional Politics in Central and Eastern Europe. Vergleichende Politikwissenschaft. Springer VS, Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-13762-5_15
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