Early parliamentary elections were held in Moldova on 29 July 2009.Moldova President Dissolves Parliament, Calls Poll Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 15 June 2009Moldovans vote in election re-run BBC News, 29 July 2009 The Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova (PCRM) won 48 of the 101 seats, but lost the majority they had won in the April elections.

Background The country's parliament, elected months earlier, was dissolved by president Vladimir Voronin on 15 June 2009, after it had twice failed to elect a new president.

Before the dissolution of the parliament, the electoral threshold was lowered from 6% to 5% and the minimum participation rate was lowered from half the electorate to a third of the electorate.Republic of Moldova: The electoral threshold was reduced. The electoral alliances remain illegal Hotnews, 15 June 2009 A poll from mid-July gave the PCRM only 29.7%, with the combined opposition (including the Democratic Party of Moldova now led by PCRM defector Marian Lupu) at over 40%.Moldovan Communists Slide In Preelection Poll Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 15 July 2009 PCRM leader Voronin did not rule out entering into a "grand coalition" with the opposition parties if the election results were inconclusive.Moldovan Communists To Consider Grand Coalition Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 16 July 2009

Conduct Five Ukrainian election observers within the European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations (ENEMO) were deported from Moldova the day before the elections. According to the expelled observers, the Central Election Commission of Moldova registered only 55 of the 140 observers from ENEMO.Moldova Deports Five Observers Over Parliamentary Elections From Ukrainian Voters Committee Ukrainian News Agency, 29 July 2009

Results Voronin's party, the PCRM, received around 45% of the vote, whilst the other four parties that won seats each received between 7% and 16%. However, the combined opposition parties secured more seats, and went in discussion over forming a coalition. This has led some commentators to declare the election a loss for the Communists.

By district # DistrictRegisteredVotedTurnoutValid votesPCRM PLDM PLPDM AMN PPCD PSDPEAVM 1 Chișinău 618,910385,17962.24%383,34441.23% 16.89% 23.14% 10.55% 5.62% 1.15%0.96%0.47%2 Bălți 107,16357,24553.42%56,89458.16% 12.82% 7.64% 15.60% 2.87% 1.15%1.33%0.43%3 Găgăuzia 103,51757,69055.73%57,27677.78% 1.28% 0.43% 5.88% 3.73% 0.69%9.87%0.35%4 Anenii Noi 70,14039,64956.53%39,40247.92% 18.04% 14.26% 11.05% 5.13% 2.11%1.08%0.41%5 Basarabeasca17,09812,56073.46%12,48152.05% 13.25% 5.50% 10.49% 7.59% 1.22%9.26%0.64%6 Briceni 58,08935,46861.06%35,20757.61% 9.60% 7.27% 14.63% 7.09% 2.08%1.32%0.41%7 Cahul 92,17353,59458.15%53,30338.36% 23.52% 15.89% 10.66% 7.69% 2.37%1.20%0.32%8 Cantemir 43,48025,76159.25%25,59640.81% 24.93% 11.04% 10.07% 9.79% 1.74%1.13%0.48%9 Călărași 60,96634,02055.80%33,79432.10% 17.59% 19.71% 10.02% 16.35% 2.25%1.49%0.49%10 Căușeni 69,10839,28556.85%39,04144.26% 12.46% 12.12% 8.91% 16.78% 3.78%1.29%0.39%11 Cimișlia 44,66525,68657.51%25,54143.98% 16.51% 9.33% 16.10% 10.50% 1.81%1.41%0.37%12Criuleni 57,32434,33159.89%34,06934.23% 16.85% 20.11% 13.29% 11.18% 2.92%1.04%0.38%13 Dondușeni 33,22321,37864.35%21,19958.94% 10.08% 5.57% 14.16% 3.91% 3.72%3.26%0.37%14 Drochia 67,72339,32458.07%39,05549.69% 16.22% 8.57% 16.28% 5.13% 2.03%1.71%0.36%15 Dubăsari25,28616,23064.19%16,09967.92% 8.55% 7.51% 8.68% 4.55% 1.57%0.82%0.40%16 Edineț64,12338,21959.60%37,93857.29% 8.15% 4.82% 18.34% 6.98% 1.37%2.78%0.27%17 Fălești71,19839,50755.49%39,23052.09% 13.65% 7.55% 17.14% 4.57% 2.36%2.32%0.34%18 Florești68,64342,20261.48%41,76154.39% 17.55% 4.90% 15.30% 4.82% 1.62%1.07%0.34%19 Glodeni 46,98125,91655.16%25,72747.72% 18.90% 8.43% 13.44% 7.59% 1.71%1.87%0.34%20 Hîncești 89,49450,60456.54%50,26533.00% 28.05% 14.12% 16.48% 5.15% 1.75%1.15%0.30%21 Ialoveni76,09246,64861.30%46,33425.02% 24.79% 23.16% 11.91% 11.81% 1.80%0.96%0.55%22 Leova 42,03922,29953.04%22,11941.23% 15.31% 10.99% 14.25% 12.87% 3.02%1.80%0.53%23 Nisporeni49,28428,38957.60%28,21527.18% 22.67% 27.01% 6.88% 13.17% 1.50%1.01%0.58%24 Ocnița39,60125,49764.38%25,32265.92% 9.00% 3.82%14.72% 3.66% 1.19%1.34%0.35%25 Orhei93,59554,55358.29%54,16229.51% 20.78% 18.74% 16.93% 7.95% 1.65%4.02%0.42%26 Rezina37,25823,49363.05%23,29548.83% 19.24% 10.65% 11.44% 4.97% 3.47%1.03%0.36%27 Rîșcani54,23230,75256.70%30,54151.09% 13.36% 8.87% 16.10% 6.51% 1.99%1.74%0.33%28 Sîngerei67,13336,12353.81%35,91343.43% 16.97% 9.36% 20.09% 6.18% 2.24%1.42%0.31%29 Soroca74,96542,79857.09%42,43448.65% 13.38% 7.96% 16.09% 10.57% 1.21%1.77%0.37%30 Strășeni73,75641,40456.14%41,12332.86% 18.07% 21.17% 12.02% 10.96% 2.36%2.05%0.51%31 Șoldănești33,16319,43158.59%19,27944.90% 13.81% 8.50% 12.66% 14.13% 4.15%1.45%0.39%32 Ștefan Vodă53,04830,40657.32%30,20436.52% 21.69% 14.31% 8.69% 8.04% 8.53%1.84%0.38%33 Taraclia31,04119,85663.97%19,69980.70% 2.97% 1.20% 10.05% 1.93% 0.78%1.96%0.41%34 Telenești51,78630,34858.60%30,16631.94% 26.09% 11.78% 12.64% 12.97% 2.47%1.72%0.39%35 Ungheni85,65548,36856.47%48,00746.68% 14.52% 12.96% 12.96% 7.56% 1.78%2.64%0.35%36 Diplomatic missions36,42917,54448.16%17,4828.49% 32.12% 43.78% 5.88% 5.75% 2.51%1.00%0.46% Total2,603,1581,591,75758.77%1,581,51744.69% 16.57% 14.68% 12.54% 7.35% 1.911.86%0.41%

Reactions The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which was observing the election, said that whilst evidence had been found of "subtle intimidation and media bias", it concluded that major electoral fraud did not occur.

After the results had been announced, Voronin acknowledged that there had been a swing in the popular vote against his party, and said he wants a "principled dialogue with all the political forces." Neither the Communists nor the opposition parties combined had the three-fifths of parliament, 61 seats, necessary to elect a new president without gaining the support of some members of the other side.

Michael Schwirtz of the New York Times said the reason the Communists did not gain a majority of the vote was unknown, though said it could have been the defection of Marian Lupu, a former parliamentary speaker, from the Communists to the Democratic Party of Moldova, which won 13 seats in this election. Lupu was suggested as the next president.

Aftermath On 8 August 2009 four parties – Liberal Democratic Party (PLDM), the Liberal Party (PL), the Democratic Party (PDM), and the Our Moldova Alliance (AMN) – agreed to create a governing coalition named the Alliance for European Integration (AIE), their combined 53 seats being enough to push the Communist party (PCRM) into opposition.

Elected MPs

The list of deputies elected in the 29 July 2009 parliamentary elections:

Party of Communists (PCRM)

<li>Vladimir Voronin 1941, engineer-economist, jurist, Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova leader <li>Zinaida Greceanîi 1956, economist, the Prime Minister of Moldova. <li> Vladimir Țurcan 1954, lawyer, former vice president of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova <li> Victor Mândru 1959, engineer-technologist, master in International Relations, former MP <li> Mark Tkaciuk 1966, PhD in history, former MP <li> Igor Dodon 1975, economist, PhD in Economy, First Vice Prime Minister <li> Vladimir Vitiuc 1972, economist from Bălți, former MP <li> Victor Stepaniuc 1958, pedagog, PhD in history, Vice Prime Minister <li> Eugenia Ostapciuc 1947, engineer-technologist, former President of the Moldovan Parliament, former MP <li> Vladimir Eremciuc 1951, physician from Ocnița, former MP <li> Maria Postoico 1950, lawyer, former MP <li> Ivan Calin 1935, agronomist, PhD in Economy, diplomat, former MP, former Prime Minister of Moldova. <li> Galina Balmoș 1961, pedagog from Strășeni, minister of the Ministry of Social Protection Family and Child <li> Valentin Guznac 1961, Mechanical engineer, jurist, Unemployed, minister of the Ministry of Public Administration <li> Anatolie Popușoi 1949, agronomist, director "Moldsilva", former MP <li> Dmitrii Todoroglo 1944, agronomist, former MP, brother-in-law of Vladimir Voronin <li> Grigore Petrenco 1980, economist, former MP, member Party of the European Left <li> Vasilii Șova 1959, jurist, minister, Moldovan Reintegration Ministry <li> Svetlana Rusu 1972, physician from Florești, Moldova, former MP <li> Iurie Munteanu 1972, economist, MBA, Deputy Minister of Economy and Trade, former MP <li> Igor Vremea 1973, lawyer from Mereșeni, PhD in law, former MP <li> Veronica Abramciuc 1958 historian <li> Aliona Babiuc 1969, pedagog, historian from Briceni, former MP <li> Elena Bondarenco 1965, economist from Soroca, former MP <li> Vadim Mișin 1945, lawyer, PhD in law, former MP <li> Alla Mironic 1941, Professor, PhD in Pedagogy, former MP <li> Vasile Iovv 1942, economist, PhD in Economy, former MP <li> Svetlana Popa 1964, mathematician-cybernetic, alderman, chief of Party of Communists in the City Council of Chișinău. <li> Violeta Ivanov 1967, environmental engineer, minister of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources <li> Raisa Spinovschi 1972, economist-accountant from Cocieri, former MP <li> Anatolie Zagorodnîi 1973, lawyer from Hîncești, master in economic law <li> Miron Anton 1941, agronomist, former MP <li> Irina Vlah 1974, lawyer from Comrat, PhD in law, member Party of the European Left <li> Oleg Reidman 1952, specialist in radiofizica and electronic, former MP <li> Oxana Radu 1976, lawyer, superior consultant, Territorial Administrative Department, Ungheni (Direcția teritorială control administrativ Ungheni) <li> Zinaida Chistruga 1954, General Director of Licensing Chamber of Moldova <li> Ludmila Belcencova 1972, historian, former MP <li> Ghenadie Morcov 1965, physician from Drochia, former MP <li> Oxana Domenti 1972, economist, PhD in Economy, former MP <li> Inna Șupac 1984, anthropologist, master in anthropology, former MP <li> Stoicov Iurie 1955, mechanical engineer from Călărași, Moldova, former MP <li> Ștefan Grigoriev 1949, physicist from Căușeni, specialist in optics and spectroscopy, former MP <li> Eduard Mușuc 1975, alderman, international economic relations, director, ICS "Zalmoxis Grup" SRL <li> Petru Porcescu 1953, cadastral engineer from Strășeni, former MP <li> Tatiana Botnariuc 1967, pedagog, director of the Territorial Social Security Office Dondușeni <li> Oleg Babenco 1968, PhD in History, rector Slavic University of Chișinău, former MP <li> Natalia Vâsotina 1970, pedagog, former MP <li> Oleg Garizan 1971, historian, mayor of Copceac, Gagauzia

On December 15, 2009, PCRM MPs Vladimir Țurcan, Victor Stepaniuc, Ludmila Belcencova, and Valentin Guznac left the Party of Communists' parliamentary faction, on grounds that the concerned group of lawmakers did not agree with the latest decisions by the PCRM's leadership. On March 17, 2010, Svetlana Popa left the Party of Communists' parliamentary faction.

Liberal Democratic Party (PLDM) <li> Vladimir Filat 1969, Liberal Democratic Party leader, degree in law, former MP <li> Alexandru Tănase 1971, degree in law, Vice President Liberal Democratic Party, former MP <li> Mihai Godea 1974, Vice President Liberal Democratic Party, professor, former MP <li> Liliana Palihovici 1971, Professor, former MP <li> Vitalie Nagacevschi 1965, lawyer, former MP <li> Iurie Țap 1955, pedagogue, mayor Florești, Moldova <li> Călin Vieru 1965, neurologist doctor, lawyer, former MP <li> Ion Balan 1962, agronomist from Lingura, Cantemir District, former MP <li> Vladimir Hotineanu 1950, physician surgeon, PhD, former MP <li> Iurie Leancă 1963, expert in international relations from Ialoveni, former MP <li> Valeriu Ghilețchi 1960, radio engineer, degree in theology, former MP <li> Mihail Șleahtițchi 1956, Professor from Bălți, PhD, former MP <li> Angel Agache 1976, degree in economics and law, master's degree in political management, former MP