Moldova's pro-Russian communists split to form separate parliament faction
The pro-Russian Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova (PCRM) has announced it will form a separate faction in the new Parliament.
The party entered the legislature as part of the "Patriotic" Electoral Bloc, which included the Socialists, the Heart of Moldova party, and the Future of Moldova party.
The decision was announced on Saturday, 18 October, following a Central Committee meeting to discuss the results of last month's election.
Central Committee members were told the Patriotic Electoral Bloc's agreement stipulates the group "will cease its activities the day the election results are recognised by the Constitutional Court," which happened on 16 October. Subsequently, the Plenary of the PCRM Central Committee decided to form a separate Communist faction.
PCRM Secretary Diana Caraman said the 2025 elections took place "amidst unprecedented pressure from the ruling regime on political opponents, including the use of administrative resources, a targeted campaign to discredit and intimidate voters, and the banning of unwelcome competitors."
"Despite fighting under extremely unfair and unpredictable conditions, the PCRM, as part of the Patriotic Electoral Bloc, maintained its position and secured 24.18% of the vote. However, this result does not reflect the potential of the party and the bloc as a whole, and prevents it from becoming a real counterbalance to the governing majority," the resolution adds.
According to the same resolution, PCRM will initiate "the creation of a broad opposition coalition against the abuses of the regime" and will take steps to "improve the activity of all party structures."
The leader of the Socialists, Igor Dodon, announced on Friday, 17 October, that the Party of Socialists will announce its position regarding how it will operate in Parliament on 22 October, at the constitutive meeting of the new Legislature.
The "Patriotic" electoral bloc was created before the 2025 parliamentary elections, but its composition changed in the final days of the campaign, following the exclusion from the electoral race of the "Heart of Moldova" Party, led by Irina Vlah.
In the 28 September 2025 election, the bloc won 24.2% of the votes, securing it 26 seats in the future Parliament. Eight are PCRM representatives, enough to form a separate faction, including former President Vladimir Voronin, Constantin Starîș, Diana Caraman, Andrei Godoroja, Adrian Domentiuc, Inga Sibova, Valeriu Muduc, and Vera Cernega.
Mr Voronin, 84, should have chaired the constitutive meeting on 22 October, but he announced he would not, defying the tradition that assigns this role to the oldest elected deputy.
Following Mr Voronin's refusal, the mission will fall to the conductor Nicolae Botgros, elected deputy on the lists of the Action and Solidarity Party.
Translation by Iure Tataru
