July 20 (SeeNews) - Moldova's parliament said on Thursday it voted to replace the country's electoral system of proportional representation with a mixed one - a decision that sparked protests in front of parliament building.
The new voting system, based on recommendations of the Venice Commission, provides for 50 deputies to be elected on proportional party lists, while another 51 will be elected in uninominal constituencies, the parliament said in a press release.
Under the first-past-the-post principle, only the candidate who wins the greatest number of votes in a uninominal constituency will make it to parliament.
The bill was supported by 74 out of 77 MPs present from ruling pro-European Democratic Party (PD) and pro-Russian Party of Socialists (PSRM), which backs president Igor Dodon, according to data posted on the website of the parliament.
MPs from opposition Communist Party (PCM), Liberal Party (PL) and Liberal Democratic Party (PDL) walked out, refusing to vote.
Following the vote, thousands of people rallied in front of parliament building in Chisinau, some in favour and others against the reform, live footage broadcast by TV stations Publika and Realitatea.md showed.
The critics of the new electoral system say that the Venice Commission's recommendations are only advisory and that the system favours the government coalition while preventing opposition parties from increasing their representation. Maia Sandu and Andrei Nastase, leaders of PAS party which is not represented in parliament, called on their supporters to protest against the change.
On the other hand, PD and PSRM, whose supporters were called upon to hold counter-protests on Thursday, claim that the change is the best compromise solution for Moldova. PD was a supporter of uninominal voting, while PSRM was in favour of proportional one.
The next parliamentary election in Moldova is scheduled for 2018.
Currently, PD is the biggest force in Moldova's 101-seat parliament with 39 MPs. PSRM is the second biggest party with 23 seats, followed by PL with 11 MPs, the Communist Party with 7, the Liberal Democratic Party (PLD) with 5 seats and 15 independent deputies. Since last elections, one MP has passed away and has not been replaced.
On Tuesday, president Igor Dodon promulgated a law which envisages reducing the number of lawmakers and ministries with the aim to improve their performance and cut spending in the central administration.
The new legislation, which parliament passed on July 7, cuts the number of lawmakers to 71 from 101 at present and reduces the number of ministries from 16 to no less than eight.
(1 euro=20.9734 lei)