Validity of Moldovan poll under threat from low turnout

CHISINAU – Moldova voted yesterday on whether to elect its president directly, a change the pro-western ruling coalition says…

CHISINAU – Moldova voted yesterday on whether to elect its president directly, a change the pro-western ruling coalition says could end a political impasse, but the poll’s validity appeared to be under threat from low turnout.

Opinion surveys have predicted a vote in favour of ditching the present system, under which the head of state is elected by parliament, despite a call by the opposition Communists for a boycott of the referendum.

But by 4.45pm – with polling stations due to close at 9pm – election authorities put turnout at a low 21 per cent, well short of the 33 per cent required for the vote to be valid.

The Communists, ousted by the ruling four-party Alliance for European Integration in July 2009 elections, said voters had rallied to Communist leader Vladimir Voronin’s boycott call.

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One official close to the alliance conceded turnout was low, but said there was still time for a surge of voters. He foresaw a final turnout of between 33 and 35 per cent. Many Moldovans traditionally prefer to vote in the second half of the day. Moldova has had no full-time president for 18 months, with the alliance unable to muster enough parliamentary votes to install a head of state, despite ousting the Communists.

The alliance says this has held up reforms that are urgently needed to bring the ex-Soviet state, one of Europe’s poorest, into the mainstream. It promises direct elections for president and parliament on November 14th if the referendum succeeds. – (Reuters)