UPDATE After counting 98% of the total votes, the Communist Party won the elections, getting 45.3% and 40 parliamentary mandates. But the Opposition might form the future Government, with their 53 mandates. The 101 parliamentary seats would be assigned as follows: PCRM - 48 mandates, PLDM - 17 mandates, PLM - 15 mandates, PDM - 13 mandates, AMN - 8 mandates.

The Opposition are still 8 mandates short to 61, allowing them to select the country's president.

UPDATE (08:00) Official preliminary results after 98% count: PCRM 45.2%, PLDM 16.4%, PL 14.4%, PDM 12.6%, AMN 7.4%.

Statements made by Moldavian political leaders:

  • Vladimir Voronin: "We opt for a large coalition, in order to address the citizens' interests. I don't trust the exit-polls. I'm not in the fortune-telling business. We're waiting for the final results and then we discuss coalitions" (source: Unimedia).
  • Marian Lupu, PDM president: "I liked President's Voronin statement very much. As strong as his confidence is, as disillusioned he would be, because the Democratic Party from Moldova is a solid team. In this "marriage", I wear the trousers... Each party will come up with a proposal, so that we can form a governance programme.
  • Dorin Chirtoaca, PL vice-president: "We will consolidate the democratic parties, because otherwise, the Republic of Moldova will be left without a future".
  • Vlad Filat, PDLM president: "We will consult each other and the three liberal parties - PDLM, PL, ANM - will come up with a common statement."
  • Serafim Urechean, ANM president: In a very short period of time we're going to find a solution favourable to the development of the democratic republic of Moldova. (source: Unimedia)

At this moment, the communists cannot form the Government on their own and cannot elect a president. The Government might be formed by the four Opposition parties, but it cannot choose the country's president, because it needs to meet 61 votes.

Even if a new president might not be elected, there won't be any other general elections this year in Moldova. In this case, Vladimir Voronin keeps his role.

The key-man for the issue is Marian Lupu, PDM leader, whose 13 mandates may influence the balance either towards his communist ex-party colleagues, or towards the right-wing parties.