Strengthening electoral justice under Moldova's new electoral system

International IDEA, the Center for Continuous Electoral Trainings (CICDE), the Central electoral Commission of Moldova and the National Institute of Justice organized a seminar on 'The Particularities of the Electoral Laws application in Parliamentary Elections in Moldova' on 26 November 2018.

The event focused on the judges from the Supreme Court of Justice in Moldova and served two purposes: to share information on electoral justice worldwide with Moldovan stakeholders; and to assess the national electoral justice legislation and procedures under the mixed electoral system, which was adopted in 2017. 

Introductions on the national electoral justice system were made by Alina Russu, Chairperson of the CEC Moldova, and Ion Druta, Chairperson of the Supreme Court of Justice. They presented the challenges of the upcoming 2019 Parliamentary Elections. International IDEA expert, Frank McLoughlin, set a constructive tone by focusing on the design and implementation of an acceptable and effective electoral justice system. He did so against the background of the international practice of prioritizing electoral complaints under clear jurisdictions of the courts. 

Discussions focused mainly on defining an effective legal framework, responsibilities, institutional standards and practices. Lastly, participants assessed critical factors affecting the independence of the electoral justice system.