Moldovan presidential election, 2011–2012

A group of ruling Liberal Democrat MPs plan to amend Moldova's constitution so that Romanian becomes the official language instead of Moldovan, as the law currently states.

The Liberal Democrats last Thursday said that they had collected the 34 signatures needed to submit the draft to the Constitutional Court for approval.

Several thousand demonstrators, angered about the formation of a new pro-EU government, mustered in front of parliament in Chisinau on Thursday, chanting anti-government slogans.

The rally took place a night after protesters broke through police lines and entered parliament after the new government was voted in.

Bucharest has voiced concerns about continuing political uncertainty in Moldova after its  president and a coalition of political parties failed to reach a compromise agreement over who will become the country's next prime minister.

Moldova's parliament on Thursday voted down the government proposed by Prime Minister Iurie Leanca, more than two months after general elections gave a narrow victory to pro-European Union parties.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta voiced opinion on Thursday that Romania's relations with the Russian Federation will worsen on the short- and medium-term, both because of the conflict in eastern Ukraine and the irreconcilable interests of the two countries with respect to the Republic of Moldova.

Photo credit: (c) Silviu MATEI / AGERPRES FLOW