2001 Moldovan presidential election explained

Election Name:2001 Moldovan presidential election
Country:Moldova
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Party Colour:no
Previous Election:1996 Moldovan presidential election
Previous Year:1996
Next Election:2005 Moldovan presidential election
Next Year:2005
Seats For Election:The office of President of Moldova
Election Date:4 April 2001
Colour1:CC3333
Nominee1:Vladimir Voronin
Party1:Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova
Electoral Vote1:71
Colour2:F2E125
Nominee2:Dumitru Braghiş
Party2:Braghiș Alliance
Electoral Vote2:15
President
Before Election:Petru Lucinschi
Before Party:Independent politician
After Election:Vladimir Voronin
After Party:PCRM

An indirect presidential election was held in Moldova on 4 April 2001. The Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova (PCRM) won 50.07% of the vote and 71 of the 101 seats in the February 2001 parliamentary election; by this time the constitution had been changed to provide for election of the President through the Parliament rather than popular vote.[1] In March, the PCRM's Central Committee nominated Vladimir Voronin as its presidential candidate at a plenum,[2] and on April 4, 2001 Voronin was elected as President by the Parliament. Of the 89 deputies participating in the vote, 71 voted for Voronin, 15 voted for Dumitru Braghiş, and three voted for Valerian Cristea.[3] He was sworn in at a ceremony in Chişinău on April 7, 2001.[4] The Constitutional Court ruled that the President could also lead a political party, and Voronin was re-elected as the PCRM's leader.[1]

Notes and References

  1. Political Parties of the World (6th edition, 2005), ed. Bogdan Szajkowski, page 414.
  2. "Moldovan communists determined to keep links with West", Kommersant (nl.newsbank.com), March 7, 2001.
  3. "Moldovan Communist Party leader elected president", Basapress news agency (nl.newsbank.com), April 4, 2001.
  4. "Moldovan president sworn in", ITAR-TASS news agency (nl.newsbank.com), April 7, 2001.