CHISINAU -- Moldovan presidential candidate Marian Lupu says the failure of parliament to elect a new president could lead to instability and "a chronic political crisis," RFE/RL's Russian Service reports.
A walkout by Communist Party parliamentarians on November 10 blocked the election of Lupu, the pro-Western coalition's candidate.
Lupu, 43, defected from the communists earlier this year. Lupu told RFE/RL that Moldova's constitution should be "seriously changed" in order to allow the people to directly elect the country's president instead of parliament.
He said the next presidential vote in parliament should be held before December 10.
Lupu added that if the deputies are unable to reach a consensus and elect a new president then early parliamentary elections will have to be held later in 2010.
He said the"consequences of such a situation will be very alarming, because there will be a lot of uncertainty, the voters will lose their trust in politicians, and the population will be frustrated."
There are 53 pro-Western deputies in the 101-seat parliament and eight votes from communist deputies are needed to attain the three-fifths majority needed to elect a president.