Moldova, Republic of

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Question Value
Legal provisions for mandatory referendums at national level
  • Yes
Legal provisions for optional referendums at national level
  • Yes
Legal provisions for citizens' initiatives at national level
  • Yes
Legal provisions for agenda initiatives at national level
  • No data
Legal provisions for recall at national level
  • No data
Legal provisions for direct democracy at the regional level
  • No data
Legal provisions for direct democracy at the local level
  • Optional referendum
  • Citizens' initiative
Legal basis for direct democracy at the national level
  • Constitutional
  • Specific laws/legislation
Legal basis for administrative requirements at the national level
  • Constitutional
  • Specific laws/legislation
Who administers direct democracy mechanisms at the national level?
  • Independent electoral commission
First referendum/initiative held
  • 1994
Has there been a national referendum since 1980?
  • Yes

Question Value
Issues in relation to which referendums are mandatory at the national level
  • Constitutional amendments
Issues in relation to which referendums are optional at the national level
  • Constitutional amendments
Issues excluded from being the subject of referendums at the national level
  • Civil service
  • Taxes and public expenditure commitments
  • Amnesty and pardon
  • See also quote
Issues of sub-national referendums regulated at the national level
  • Public policy issues
  • Issues of special interest
Who can initiate an optional referendum at the national level?
  • Government
  • Legislative majority
  • Registered electors
Who drafts the referendum question?
  • Not specified by legislation
Who decides on the final form of the ballot text?
  • Mandatory referendum - Independent electoral commission
  • Optional referendum - Independent electoral commission
Quorum requirements for a referendum to be valid
  • Mandatory referendum - turnout quorum
  • Optional referendum - turnout quorum
Requirements for a referendum to pass
  • Mandatory referendum - simple majority
  • Optional referendum - simple majority
Are referendum results binding?
  • Mandatory referendum - always
  • Optional referendum - sometimes

Question Value
Issues that can be proposed by citizens using the initiative process at the national level
  • Citizens' initiatives - constitutional amendments
  • Citizens' initiatives - other issues
Issues excluded from being the subject of an initiative at the national level
  • Constitutional amendments
  • Civil service
  • Taxes and public expenditure commitments
  • Amnesty and pardon
  • See also quote
Who may propose the registration of an initiative?
  • Citizens' initiative - a number of individuals
Materials to accompany an application for registration
  • Proposed title
  • General explanation of the purpose
Who determines the title of an initiative?
  • Citizens' initiative - proponents of the initiative
What disqualifies a proposed title of an initiative?
  • Inconsistency with proposed content
Who is responsible for checking the legality of initiatives?
  • Independent electoral commission
  • Legislature
At which stage legality check is conducted?
  • After its registration, before the collection of signatures
Who decides the final ballot text when the initiative is put to a vote?
  • Proponents of the initiative
When does voting take place once an initiative is qualified for ballot?
  • Not specified by legislation

Question Value
Which individuals/positions may be subject to the recall?
    What are the grounds for recall?
      What restrictions are there in relation to the time period in which an individual or position can be recalled?
        When is the recall put to the vote?
          When does the election to replace an individual who has been recalled take place?
            Can an individual who is the subject of a recall stand on the ballot for his/her own replacement?

              Question Value
              How many signatures are required to start the formal decision making stage of a direct democracy mechanism?
              • Citizens' Initiative - fixed number
              What is the deadline for collecting required number of signatures?
              • Citizens' Initiative - fixed time period
              Restrictions in relation to the individuals who can sign the proposal
              • Not specified by legislation
              Where can proposals be signed?
              • Anywhere
              What information must signatories provide when signing the proposal?
              • Identity or voting card number
              • Personal details
              Restrictions in relation to signature collection
              • Not specified by legislation
              What forms of checks are undertaken to verify signatures?
              • All signatures are checked
              • Sample of signatures are checked
              Who checks the signatures?
              • Agency responsible for the administration of direct democracy mechanisms

              Disclaimer: Maps presented do not imply on the part of the Institute any judgement on the legal status of any territory or the endorsement of such boundaries, nor does the placement or size of any country or territory reflect the political view of International IDEA. Maps are used in order to add visual clarity to data.