European Social Democratic Party

The European Social Democratic Party (Partidul Social Democrat European, PSDE) is a centre-left, populist social-democratic political party in Moldova. Established in 1997, the party holds pro-European views, and is an associate member of the Party of European Socialists (PES) and a full member of the Socialist International. According to its statute, the PSDE pleads that Moldova is an independent, sovereign, and democratic state, based on law, and integrated in the united family of European democracies. Reflecting former leader Marian Lupu's views, but also the strong influence of the Moldovan Orthodox Church, the party is more conservative on social issues, such as LGBT rights. The party was established on 8 February 1997 as the Movement for a Democratic and Prosperous Moldova (MDPM). On 17 October 1998 at the Congress, the leadership of the party was chosen and the status and political program based on the principles of social democracy was adopted. In parliamentary elections of March 1998, the electoral bloc formed on the basis of the Movement – the Bloc for a Democratic and Prosperous Moldova won over 18% of the votes and 24 seats in Parliament respectively, which allowed it to participate in governance, within the Alliance for Democracy and Reforms (ADR). From 1997 until the summer of 2009, the party was led by Dumitru Diacov, who held the position of Chairman of Parliament within 1997–2001. In 1999, Ion Sturza, the MDPM representative, was appointed for the position of the prime minister. On 15 April 2000, at the Congress of the Movement for a Democratic and Prosperous Moldova was changed its name to the Democratic Party of Moldova. In parliamentary elections of February 2001, the PDM won 79,757 votes (5.02%) but failed to overcome the 6% electoral threshold. On 25 May 2003, at the local elections, the party won over 8.3% of the votes and took good position in the country. On 22 November 2003, at the Congress the new objectives of the party were set.