Party of Action and Solidarity explained

Party of Action and Solidarity
Native Name:Partidul Acțiune și Solidaritate
Native Name Lang:ro
Abbreviation:PAS
Leader:Igor Grosu
Secretary General:Artur Mija
Founder:Maia Sandu
Headquarters:Maria Cebotari 9/1, Chișinău
Membership Year:2020
Membership:15,500
Position:Centre-right
Youth Wing:PAS Youth
European:European People's Party (associate)
International:International Democracy Union[1]
Slogan:E vremea oamenilor buni ('It is the time of the good people')
Colours: Yellow Black
Seats1 Title:Parliament
Seats2 Title:District Presidents
Seats3 Title:Mayors
Country:Moldova

The Party of Action and Solidarity (Romanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: Partidul Acțiune și Solidaritate, PAS) is a liberal political party in Moldova. The PAS was founded by Maia Sandu, the former Minister of Education and the incumbent president of Moldova. A pro-European party,[2] it is an observer of the European People's Party (EPP)[3] and the International Democracy Union (IDU).[4]

History

Formation

The party was created amid the 2015–2016 protests in Moldova and growing dissatisfaction with the ruling parties among citizens. On 23 December 2015, Maia Sandu posted a YouTube video in which she announced her intention to form a new political party. Her stated reason for doing so was the creation of a grassroots party, that would function based on the principles of internal democracy and would be financed through small donations.[5] Sandu was elected as leader of the PAS on 15 May 2016 and the party was officially registered by the Ministry of Justice on 26 May. At the time of registration, the party had 7,500 members and 20 local organizations.[6] In February 2017, the party applied for membership of the European People's Party (EPP).[7]

In coalition government: June 2019–November 2019

In the 2019 Moldovan parliamentary election, the PAS and the Dignity and Truth Platform Party formed the NOW Platform electoral alliance, which gathered 26.8% of the votes. After the alliance split into two separate parliamentary groups, the PAS ended up with 15 seats. On 6 June, the Party announced that it was ready to form a coalition government with the pro-Russian Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova (PSRM) with the goal of freeing state institutions, which in their opinion were under oligarchic control. After the coalition was formed, PSRM leader Zinaida Greceanîi was elected as Speaker of the Parliament and the Sandu Cabinet was inaugurated.[8] Largely because of the significant ideological differences between the ruling parties, the government only lasted for five months and was ousted on 12 November after the PSRM and the Democratic Party of Moldova voted in favor of a motion of no confidence.[9]

In opposition: November 2019–July 2021

After the ousting of the Sandu cabinet, the PAS was in opposition. In the 2020 Moldovan presidential election, the party's candidate and leader Sandu was elected as President of Moldova. According to Moldovan law, the president cannot be a member of a political party which resulted in Sandu resigning from the office of party president and renouncing her party membership. Until the next party congress, the post of PAS president is held by first vice president Igor Grosu on an interim basis.[10]

In majority government: July 2021–present

The PAS won by a landslide during the 2021 Moldovan parliamentary election, earning them 63 seats in the parliament.[2] Igor Grosu was elected the President of the Moldovan Parliament.[11] On 6 August 2021, Natalia Gavrilița was voted by 61 MPs as the Prime Minister of Moldova and she became the second PAS Prime Minister of Moldova, after Maia Sandu (2019).[12] In early 2022, the party will hold a leadership election and is also expected to nominate a candidate for the 2023 Chișinău mayoral elections.[13]

Political positions

The PAS has been widely described as a pro-European,[2] [14] [15] centre-right[16] [17] [18] party that adheres to liberalism, social liberalism, and economic liberalism.[19] [20]

Economic policies

According to its program, the PAS supports the idea of an economy "based on private initiative" and is in favor of a "significant reduction of bureaucracy in all stages of business".[21] In the 2020 Moldovan presidential election campaign, the party's candidate Maia Sandu proposed raising the minimum wage to 2,000 lei (around 114 US dollars).[22]

Foreign policy

A member of the European People's Party (EPP),[23] the PAS supports membership of Moldova in the European Union,[24] [25] establishing a strategic partnership with the United States, and maintaining a normal and non-confrontational relationship with Russia. The party supports strengthening Moldova's relationship with Romania but does not explicitly endorse the unification of Moldova and Romania.[26]

Leadership

NameImageTerm startTerm endTerm length
1Maia Sandu15 May 201610 December 2020
2Igor Grosu15 May 2022Incumbent

Current leadership positions

Election results

Parliament
ElectionLeaderPerformanceRankGovernment
Votes%± ppSeats+/–
2019Maia Sandu380,181 (ACUM)NewNew3rd
2021Igor Grosu774,754 25.96 481st
Gavrilița Cabinet (2021–2023)
Recean Cabinet (2023–present)
President of Moldova
ElectionCandidateFirst roundSecond roundResult
Votes%Votes%
2016549,152766,593Lost
2020487,635943,006Elected
2024TBDTBDTBDTBDTBD

Chișinău mayoral elections

ElectionLeaderCandidateFirst roundSecond roundResult
Votes%Votes%
2018Maia SanduAndrei Năstase
(ACUM)
71,80332.12129,43252.57Elected
201970,05631.08112,51447.61Lost

Chișinău Municipal Council elections

ElectionLeaderVotesSeatsPosition
Votes%No.
2019Maia Sandu74,25533.30(ACUM)2nd
2023TBATBDTBDTBDTBD

Local elections

Mayors

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Members | International Democracy Union. 1 February 2018.
  2. Web site: 13 July 2021. Moldova pro-Europeans win resounding election victory. 20 October 2021. www.euractiv.com. en-GB.
  3. Web site: Parties and partners. European Peeople's Party. 20 October 2021.
  4. Web site: Members. February 2018 . International Democracy Union. 20 October 2021.
  5. Web site: (ȘTIREA ZILEI) Maia Sandu anunță formarea unei MIȘCĂRI pentru crearea unui nou partid politic . timpul.md . ro . 23 December 2015 . 7 December 2020.
  6. Web site: (doc) Partidul Acțiune și Solidaritate/PAS a fost înregistrat oficial la Ministerul Justiției . 26 May 2016 . 7 December 2020 . ro . diez.md.
  7. Book: Olaf Wientzek. The European People's Party and the East: Party Cooperation in Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. 2019. Nomos Verlag. 978-3-7489-0401-4. 54.
  8. Web site: Distopie politică la Chișinău. PAS acceptă colaborarea cu PSRM . dw.com . 6 June 2019 . 9 December 2020 . ro.
  9. Web site: Moldovan parliament approves Ion Chicu as new prime minister . 14 November 2019 . 9 December 2020 . reuters.com.
  10. Web site: Maia Sandu leaves PAS . 10 December 2020 . 30 December 2020 . ipn.md.
  11. Web site: 29 June 2021. Igor Grosu, ales preşedinte al Parlamentului Republicii Moldova. 17 December 2021. adevarul.ro. en.
  12. Web site: Noul guvern pro-european de la Chișinău a trecut de votul Parlamentului. Republica Moldova este acum condusă de două femei. 17 December 2021. www.digi24.ro. ro.
  13. Web site: 19 November 2021. PAS şi Platforma DA, în pregătiri pentru alegeri. 17 December 2021. adevarul.ro. en.
  14. Web site: 2 November 2020. Pro-European Maia Sandu Wins First Round of Moldova Election. 13 May 2021. Balkan Insight. en-US.
  15. Web site: Tidey. Alice. 16 November 2020. Moldova: Sandu is president, but the battle for power has only begun. 13 May 2021. euronews. en.
  16. Web site: 28 April 2021. Moldovan leader dissolves parliament, sets July elections. 13 May 2021. France 24. en.
  17. News: Tidey. Alice. 16 November 2020. Moldova: Pro-western Maia Sandu won the presidency, but the battle for power is only just beginning. EuroNews. 13 May 2021.
  18. News: Necșuțu. Mădălin. Pro-European Maia Sandu Wins First Round of Moldova Election. EuroNews. 13 May 2021.
  19. Web site: Program-PAS. 6 November 2016. unpaspentru.md. 7 November 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161107093022/https://unpaspentru.md/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/PROGRAM_PAS_EN.pdf. dead.
  20. Web site: Nordsieck. Wolfram. 2019. Moldova. 13 April 2019. Parties and Elections in Europe.
  21. Web site: THE PROGRAM OF THE POLITICAL PARTY "ACTION AND SOLIDARITY PARTY" (PAS) . 15 May 2016 . 30 December 2020 . 25 June 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170625042805/https://unpaspentru.md/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Party-of-Action-and-Solidarity-program.pdf . dead .
  22. Web site: Program. 16 November 2020. Maia Sandu Președinte 2020. ro-RO.
  23. Web site: Milheiro. Karine. 21 October 2016. EPP Presidency: Maia Sandu is the change Moldova needs (EN+RO). 13 May 2021. EPP.
  24. News: 16 November 2020. Moldova election: Pro-EU candidate Maia Sandu wins presidency. BBC News. Politico. 16 May 2021.
  25. Web site: 16 November 2020. Pro-EU Sandu becomes Moldova's president. 16 May 2021. Politico.
  26. Web site: STATUTUL PARTIDULUI POLITIC "PARTIDUL ACŢIUNE ŞI SOLIDARITATE" (PAS) . ro . 15 May 2016 . 30 December 2020 . 15 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210115214559/https://unpaspentru.md/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Statut-PAS-August-2020.pdf . dead .