March 17 (SeeNews) - Moldova's pro-European president Maia Sandu said she decided to nominate MP Igor Grosu as prime-minister designate and task him with the formation of a new government.
"Given that there is currently no candidate to be supported by a formalised absolute parliamentary majority, I decided to nominate Igor Grosu as prime minister. I asked Mr. Grosu to prepare the governing programme and a team in order to seek a confidence vote in Parliament," Sandu said in a live streamed conference on Tuesday evening, following consultations with the political parties in the country.
Grosu has been serving as MP since 2019 and is the acting president of pro-European Action and Solidarity Party (PAS), which Sandu led before becoming a president.
The president's decision to nominate Grosu came after Mariana Durlesteanu, the candidate proposed by the Socialist Party (PSRM), Sor Party and PRO Moldova coalition turned down the nomination.
In February, Sandu hinted that she will not comply with a top court ruling obliging her to hold new talks with political parties in order to nominate a new prime minister and said that she will continue to push for early elections or for a referendum for her dismissal.
Moldova has been governed by a caretaker cabinet led by foreign affairs and European integration minister Aurel Ciocoi since December, when former prime minister Ion Chicu resigned in a move aimed to prompt early parliamentary elections.
According to the country's constitution, the parliament can call a referendum for the suspension of the president on the votes of at least two thirds of the MPs. Regarding the nomination of a new prime minister, if parliament rejects the president's choice twice in the span of 45 days, the head of state can dissolve the assembly and set a date for a snap election.
PSRM, led by former president Igor Dodon who lost to Sandu in the November presidential elections, has 36 MPs. Sor Party, led by businessman Ilan Sor, controls nine seats in parliament, PAS holds 15 seats, while pro-EU Dignity and Truth Party (PDPDA) controls 11 seats. The Democrat Party of Moldova holds 11 seats, Pro-Moldova has seven seats, while the remaining 12 mandates are held by independent MPs.
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