CHISINAU, October 22 (RIA Novosti) - Moldova's parliament on Thursday postponed for an indefinite period the presidential election, which had been scheduled for October 23, pending amendments to electoral laws.
Moldovan lawmakers held a session to decide on electoral procedure in a situation where only one presidential candidate has been registered - Democratic Party leader Marian Lupu.
The head of a special parliamentary electoral commission said the vote could go ahead even if uncontested. However, the communist faction objected, saying there were no such provisions in existing electoral laws.
The political situation in Moldova remains strained six months on from the parliamentary election won by the Communist Party, which set off mass disturbances in the capital, Chisinau. Protesters, claiming that the election was flawed, attacked the parliament and presidential administration buildings.
Although the vote was upheld, the opposition forced a new election by boycotting the two parliamentary votes on a new president, leaving the Communists' candidate one vote short of confirmation and causing the dissolution of the parliament.
The snap elections on July 29 gave the Communist Party 48 seats, 12 fewer than they won in the April 5 elections.
The Alliance for European Integration, including the Democratic Party, the Liberal Democratic Party, the Liberal Party and the Our Moldova Alliance, has 53 seats, raising the possibility that without the support of eight Communist MPs their presidential nominee will fall short of the required votes, plunging the country into a fresh political crisis.
