Constitutional supremacy at stake as Chișinău seeks to overhaul Gagauzia’s special status
The Republic of Moldova is preparing to amend the law governing the special status of the Gagauzia autonomous region. This move comes as national authorities seek to resolve a legal stalemate that has paralyzed regional elections for months.
The Constitutional Court is currently reviewing a petition from the Ministry of Justice regarding the region’s legal framework. The central government aims to ensure that local regulations do not override the national Constitution, particularly concerning electoral integrity.
Constitutional supremacy vs. regional autonomy
Larisa Voloh, co-chair of the joint parliamentary working group, emphasized that the reform is necessary to establish clear rules. "There cannot be a local, special law that stands above constitutional provisions," Voloh stated, insisting on the absolute supremacy of the rule of law.
In contrast, representatives from Comrat argue that the autonomy's special status must remain the priority. Gheorghe Leiciu, Deputy Speaker of the People's Assembly of Gagauzia, warned that the current law was a hard-won compromise brokered with international support.
Electoral fraud and the legislative vacuum
The dispute has already had a significant impact on local democracy. Elections in the region have been blocked for over six months following the controversial dissolution of the local electoral commission and allegations of systemic fraud during the 2023 polls.
"Elections cannot be conducted under an irrelevant law that allowed for massive fraud in the past," noted Igor Chiriac, a member of the parliamentary working group. Chiriac believes the Constitutional Court’s ruling will provide the necessary clarity to move forward.
New election date set for June
The mandate of the People’s Assembly officially expired on November 12, 2025. Technical and legal disputes prevented the scheduled elections on March 22, 2026, from taking place.
Following a definitive ruling by the Supreme Court of Justice, the People's Assembly in Comrat has now rescheduled the regional elections for June 21, 2026. The outcome remains dependent on the pending constitutional interpretation.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
