April 16 (SeeNews) - Moldova's constitutional court has ruled that the parliament can be dissolved due to its inability to approve a government within the deadlines set by the Constitution, paving the way for early elections.
The decision, which was adopted in response to a request by pro-European president Maia Sandu, is final and cannot be appealed, the court said in a ruling published on its website on Thursday.
Earlier in the day, Sandu said in a televised statement that she plans to take all necessary steps to dissolve parliament and call early elections as soon as the court decides on whether she can dissolve parliament during a state of emergency.
Moldova's parliament, in which pro-Moscow Socialists form the largest group of lawmakers, declared a two-month nationwide state of emergency on April.
Moldova has been run by a caretaker government led by foreign minister Aurel Ciocoi since December, when former prime minister Ion Chicu resigned in a move aimed to prompt early parliamentary elections.
At the end of March, a cabinet proposed by prime minister-designate Igor Grosu failed to obtain parliament's approval due to lack of quorum.
Sandu nominated Grosu as prime-minister designate on March 16 after Mariana Durlesteanu, the candidate proposed by the coalition controlling the majority of seats in parliament, rejected the nomination. Two days later however, the coalition named the country's ambassador to Moscow, Vladimir Golovatiuc, as prime minister-designate.
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.
Moldovan Socialist Party 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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