Moldova’s Prime Minister, Alexandru Munteanu, has unexpectedly announced his resignation. On Friday, Munteanu cited the fact that he could no longer govern in a manner consistent with his principles and convictions as the reason for stepping down. Automatically, the resignation of the head of government triggers the resignation of the entire cabinet.
President Maia Sandu stated that Munteanu would continue in his post until a successor is appointed. She announced plans to begin discussions with parliamentary factions next week to quickly select a new candidate for the role. This development presents a challenge for Sandu and her pro-European government party, Action and Solidarity (PAS), which secured a decisive victory in the last parliamentary election.
Meanwhile, media speculation has linked the resignation to several recent scandals. These alleged issues include the use of forged documents by the head of the aviation safety authority, MoldATSA, and bribery involving state employees. There are also claims that a cousin of Sandu received lucrative jobs. Sandu attempted to dismiss the suggestion of undue influence, asserting that Munteanu was free to lead the government according to his own convictions.
