President Maia Sandu, together with representatives of Parliament and the Central Electoral Commission, met yesterday with members of the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia (APG) in the context of implementing the Constitutional Court’s ruling regarding the powers of the Autonomous Territorial Unit (ATU) of Gagauzia, as well as the steps required to organize elections in the autonomous region. The Constitutional Court ruled that the electoral system must be uniform throughout the country and established by Parliament through an organic law, given that the Republic of Moldova is a unitary state, TRIBUNA reports.

The solution for organizing elections in the autonomy, which had previously been discussed and agreed upon within a joint working group involving representatives of the Presidency, Parliament, the People’s Assembly, and the Central Electoral Commission—but was not approved by a plenary vote of the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia—is no longer consistent with the legal framework established by the Constitutional Court’s ruling.

According to the Court’s decision, elections in the autonomy must be conducted under the same electoral system and according to the same principles and rules that apply throughout the country. In this context, participants discussed holding elections for the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia under the proportional electoral system used for elections to Parliament, local councils, and district councils, while ensuring all guarantees of a free, fair, transparent, and competitive electoral process. Some members of the People’s Assembly who attended the meeting supported this proposal.

The Constitutional Court’s ruling is final, and all public authorities are obliged to implement it within the scope of their respective powers. Accordingly, the legal framework must be amended. Parliament is expected to register a draft law introducing amendments to the Electoral Code, which will be fast-tracked to ensure that regional elections are integrated into the national electoral framework and that elections in the autonomy can be held this autumn in full compliance with the Court’s ruling.

Applying uniform and transparent electoral rules to the upcoming vote will ensure that all candidates enjoy equal opportunities and that residents of the autonomous region can exercise their voting rights freely and equally, with results that genuinely reflect their will.

The discussion also highlighted that implementing the Constitutional Court’s ruling on the powers of the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia presents an opportunity to strengthen the autonomy’s legal framework through a clearer division of responsibilities between the central authorities and the autonomous administration, full implementation of the Law on the Special Legal Status of Gagauzia, and deeper integration of the region into the economic, social, and political life of the Republic of Moldova.

The consultations will continue today with the mayors of the autonomous region.