This morning, a panel of judges led by Domnica Manole delivered its ruling in the consolidated case concerning the legality of the suspension of the political parties Moldova Mare, Inima Moldovei, and FASM.
The leaders of the parties and their legal representatives asked the Court to declare unconstitutional the amendments to Article 21 of the Law on Political Parties, which granted the Ministry of Justice the authority to restrict a party’s activities without a court ruling and even during an election campaign.
The judges rejected all appeals.
Notably, the decision was announced on the birthday of Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu, making it appear as a symbolic “gift,” despite the fact that the Venice Commission had previously described the amendments as inconsistent with democratic standards.
Inima Moldovei leader Irina Vlah said the ruling was difficult to understand. She recalled that the Venice Commission had clearly stated that a political party should not be removed from elections solely on the basis of suspicions. According to her, the Court ignored that opinion.
“Ignoring the Venice Commission’s opinion damages the Republic of Moldova’s reputation among its European partners. We should not be surprised if, in next year’s Democracy Index, Moldova is downgraded from a hybrid regime to an authoritarian regime. Today, Moldova took a major step backward in terms of democracy.”
Moldova Mare leader Victoria Furtună described the ruling as unconstitutional. She warned that the precedent could be used against any political party in the future.
“This decision will allow any party to arbitrarily eliminate another political party based on vague evidence and unclear suspicions—that is, on reports unsupported by relevant and admissible evidence.”
Attorney Igor Hlopețchi argued that the Constitutional Court had long since lost its independence and confirmed that the case would now be taken to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
“It is obvious that this case will reach the European Court of Human Rights, and Moldova will once again receive a judgment against it. Unfortunately, the consequences will ultimately be borne by the country’s citizens. This is a disgrace for those who fought against this clearly unlawful decision.”
He added:
“Judging by statements made in the media by representatives of the ruling regime, the Court belongs to them. Today, this institution revealed its true nature. We cannot expect anything different from a politically controlled and compromised Constitutional Court. Our struggle continues.”
Critics argue that the Constitutional Court, which is expected to serve as the guarantor of democracy, has instead become a political instrument of the ruling authorities. The decision regarding Moldova Mare, Inima Moldovei, and FASM, they say, demonstrates that the government has created a mechanism allowing it to remove unwanted political competitors from the electoral process. If these three parties were affected today, opponents warn, any opposition force could face the same fate tomorrow. They also argue that the ruling sends a troubling signal to Moldova’s European partners that judicial independence and political pluralism in the country are under increasing pressure.
