Moldovan Communists to Form Separate Parliamentary Faction Post-Election

PCRM Declares Intent to Form Independent Faction

Vladimir Voronin, the long-standing leader of Moldova's Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova (PCRM), has announced the party's decision to separate from the Patriotic Bloc and establish its own parliamentary faction. The announcement, made around October 10-11, 2025, comes in the wake of the September 28, 2025, Moldovan parliamentary election. Voronin indicated that while the PCRM would operate as a distinct faction, it intends to maintain cooperation with the other parties that constituted the electoral bloc, albeit under a newly developed 'common concept'.

The Patriotic Bloc's Formation and Electoral Performance

The Patriotic Bloc, officially known as the Patriotic Electoral Bloc of Socialists, Communists, the Heart and Future of Moldova, was formed specifically for the 2025 parliamentary election. This pro-Russian, left-wing electoral alliance initially comprised four parties: the PCRM, the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova (PSRM), the Heart of Moldova Party, and the Future of Moldova Party. However, the Heart of Moldova Party was later barred from participating in the election due to accusations of illegal financing. Following the parliamentary elections, the Patriotic Bloc was projected to secure 26 mandates in the new parliament. The bloc's formation itself was not without internal tensions, with some experts suggesting external influence in its creation.

Reasons for Separation and Future Collaboration

According to Vladimir Voronin, the move to form a separate PCRM faction is driven by a desire for autonomy in parliamentary activity and relations with voters. He stated, 'The Party of Communists is for the continuation of collaboration among the bloc's parties, but this will not be within the bloc. A special concept of cooperation between the four parties will be developed, but not within the bloc. We will create the PCRM faction, which will manage parliamentary activity and relations with voters.' This suggests a strategic shift to allow PCRM greater independence while still leveraging the collective strength of the broader left-wing alliance on specific issues.

Reactions and Political Analysis

The announcement has elicited varied responses from the former bloc members and political observers. Representatives from the PSRM clarified that the final decision regarding the formation of parliamentary factions would be made at the first meeting of the newly elected parliament, pending validation by the Constitutional Court. The Future of Moldova Party expressed its preference for maintaining the bloc's unity and a common faction, emphasizing the need for a direct meeting among all bloc leaders before formulating conclusions. Political expert Andrei Curararu noted that the PCRM might not have secured parliamentary representation without the Patriotic Bloc. He also suggested that Voronin's move could be coordinated with 'Shor's group' to create distance from Igor Dodon, the leader of the PSRM, and that the synchronization of Voronin's statement with pro-Shor networks might indicate a maneuver accepted, if not prepared, in Moscow.