Aurochs (type of wild cattle).
| Title | |
|---|---|
| Lyric/music |
| Date of Independence | 27 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union) |
|---|---|
| National holiday | Independence Day, 27 August (1991) |
| Legal system | civil law system with Germanic law influences; Constitutional Court reviews legislative acts |
| International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| Constitution | |
| History | Previous 1978; latest adopted 29 July 1994, effective 27 August 1994 |
| Amendment process | Proposed by voter petition (at least 200,000 eligible voters), by at least one third of Parliament members, or by the government; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of Parliament within one year of initial proposal; revisions to constitutional articles on sovereignty, independence, and neutrality require majority vote by referendum; articles on fundamental rights and freedoms cannot be amended |
| Citizenship | |
| Citizenship by birth | no |
| Citizenship by descent only | at least one parent must be a citizen of Moldova |
| Dual citizenship recognized | no |
| Residency requirement for naturalization | 10 years |
| Executive Branch | |
| Chief of state | President Maia SANDU (since 24 December 2020) |
| Head of government | Prime Minister Dorin RECEAN (since 16 February 2023) |
| Cabinet | Cabinet proposed by the prime minister-designate, nominated by the president, approved through a vote of confidence in Parliament |
| Election/appointment process | president directly elected for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister designated by the president in consultation with Parliament; within 15 days from designation, the prime minister-designate must request a vote of confidence for his/her proposed work program from the Parliament |
| Most recent election date | 3 November 2024 |
| Election results | 2024: In the second round of presidential elections, incumbent Maia SANDU (PAS) wins 55.4% of the vote, Alexandr STOIANOGLO (PSRM) 44.6; turnout is 54.3% 2020: Maia SANDU elected president in second round; percent of vote in second round - Maia SANDU (PAS) 57.7%, Igor DODON (PSRM) 42.3% 2016: Igor DODON elected president in second round; percent of vote - Igor DODON (PSRM) 52.1%, Maia SANDU (PAS) 47.9% |
| Expected date of next election | 2028 |
| Legislative branch | |
| Legislature name | Parliament (Parlament) |
| Legislative structure | Unicameral |
| Number of seats | 101 (all directly elected) |
| Electoral system | Proportional representation |
| Scope of elections | Full renewal |
| Term in office | 4 years |
| Most recent election date | 9/28/2025 |
| Parties elected and seats per party | Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) (55); Electoral Bloc “Patriotic of Socialists, Communists, Heart and Future of Moldova” (26); Alternative Bloc (8); Our Party (6); Democracy at Home Party (6) |
| Percentage of women in chamber | 37.6% |
| Expected date of next election | September 2029 |
| Judicial branch | |
| Highest court(s) | Supreme Court of Justice (consists of the chief judge, 3 deputy-chief judges, 45 judges, and 7 assistant judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the court president and 6 judges) |
| Judge selection and term of office | Supreme Court of Justice judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Superior Council of Magistracy, an 11-member body of judicial officials; all judges serve 4-year renewable terms; Constitutional Court judges appointed 2 each by Parliament, the president, and the Higher Council of Magistracy for 6-year terms; court president elected by other court judges for a 3-year term |
| Subordinate courts | Courts of Appeal; Court of Business Audit; municipal courts |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | |
| Chief of mission | Ambassador Vladislav KULMINSKI (since 5 September 2025) |
| Chancery | 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 |
| Telephone | [1] (202) 667-1130 |
| FAX | [1] (202) 667-2624 |
| Email address and website | [email protected] https://sua.mfa.gov.md/en |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | |
| Chief of mission | Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Nick PIETROWICZ (since 2025) |
| Embassy | 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009 |
| Mailing address | 7080 Chisinau Place, Washington DC 20521-7080 |
| Telephone | [373] (22) 408-300 |
| FAX | [373] (22) 233-044 |
| Email address and website | [email protected] https://md.usembassy.gov/ |
| National heritage | |
| Total World Heritage Sites | 1 (cultural) |
| Selected World Heritage Site locales | Struve Geodetic Arc |
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