Government and Politics of Moldova

Government Type

republic

Administrative Divisions

9 counties (judetele, singular - judetul), 1 municipality* (municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit** (unitate teritoriala autonoma), and 1 territorial unit*** (unitate teritoriala); Balti, Cahul, Chisinau, Chisinau*, Edinet, Gagauzia**, Lapusna, Orhei, Soroca, Stinga Nistrului***, Tighina, Ungheni

Legal System

based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legality of legislative acts and governmental decisions of resolution; it is unclear if Moldova accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction but accepts many UN and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) documents

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Moldova dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Executive Branch

chief of state: President Maia SANDU (since 24 December 2020) head of government: Prime Minister Dorin RECEAN (since 16 February 2023) cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister, approved by Parliament elections: President elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 15 October 2024, with a runoff on 3 November 2024 (next to be held in 2028); prime minister designated by the president following consultation with Parliament; the prime minister-designate must request a vote of confidence from Parliament within 15 days of designation, covering both the proposed work program and the full cabinet election results: Maia SANDU reelected president in the second round with approximately 55.4% of the vote, defeating Alexandr STOIANOGLO; Dorin RECEAN designated prime minister and confirmed by a parliamentary vote of confidence in February 2023

Legislative Branch

Unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; members elected by popular vote using a proportional representation system to serve four-year terms) Elections: Last held on 11 July 2021 (next to be held in 2025) Election results: Percent of vote by party - Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) 52.8%, Bloc of Communists and Socialists (BCS) 27.2%, Shor Party 5.7%, other parties 14.3%; seats by party - PAS 63, BCS 32, Shor Party 6 Note: Following a Constitutional Court ruling in 2019, Moldova shifted away from a mixed electoral system that had been briefly adopted in 2017 and returned to a proportional representation model. The 2021 elections resulted in a decisive majority for the pro-European PAS, led by then-party leader Maia Sandu, who had already assumed the presidency in late 2020. The Shor Party was subsequently banned by the Constitutional Court in 2023, and its six parliamentary seats were redistributed accordingly.

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for constitutional judicature)

Political Parties

Braghis Faction [Dumitru BRAGHIS]; Christian Democratic Popular Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA]; Communist Party of the Republic of Moldova or PCRM [Vladimir VORONIN, first chairman]; Democratic Moldova Bloc (comprised of the AMN, Democratic Party, and PSL); Democratic Party [Dumitru DIACOV]; Our Moldova Alliance or AMN [Serafim URECHEANU]; Social Liberal Party or PSL [Oleg SEREBRIAN]

Head of State

President Maia SANDU

Head of Government

Prime Minister Dorin RECEAN

Cabinet

Cabinet selected by president, subject to approval of Parliament

Elections

Last held on 11 July 2021 (next to be held in 2025)

Election Results

Percent of vote by party - Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) 52.8%, Bloc of Communists and Socialists (BCS) 27.2%, Shor Party 5.7%, other parties 14.3%; seats by party - PAS 63, BCS 32, Shor Party 6 Note: Following a Constitutional Court ruling in 2019, Moldova shifted away from a mixed electoral system that had been briefly adopted in 2017 and returned to a proportional representation model. The 2021 elections resulted in a decisive majority for the pro-European PAS, led by then-party leader Maia Sandu, who had already assumed the presidency in late 2020. The Shor Party was subsequently banned by the Constitutional Court in 2023, and its six parliamentary seats were redistributed accordingly.

Constitution

new constitution adopted 28 July 1994; replaces old Soviet constitution of 1979

Independence

27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 27 August (1991)

International Organization Participation

ACCT, BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic Representation in the U.S.

chief of mission: Ambassador Mihail MANOLI chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130 FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204

U.S. Diplomatic Representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Heather M. HODGES embassy: 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [373] (22) 408-300 FAX: [373] (22) 23-30-44

Capital City

Chisinau in Romanian (Kishinev in Russian) pronounced KEE-shee-now (KIH-shi-nyov)

Location

47 00 N, 28 51 E

Time Difference

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

History

origin unclear but may derive from the archaic Romanian word chisla ("spring" or "water source") and noua ("new") because the original settlement was built at the site of a small spring

U.S. Embassy Chisinau 103, Mateevici Street, Chisinau, Moldova Telephone: (373) (22) 40-83-00 Emergency after-hours telephone: (373)(22) 23-73-45 Fax: (373)(22) 22-63-61

Military Branches

National Army: Land Forces Command, Air Forces Command (includes air defense unit), Logistics Command

Service Age and Obligation

18 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service; male registration required at age 16; 1-year service obligation