On March 22, the Constitutional Court declared that president Sandu’s decree nominating Igor Grosu for the prime minister position is constitutional. Igor Grosu announced to submit to Parliament the necessary documents related to the team and its governing program. The president of the Socialist Party, Igor Dodon commented on the Court’s decision saying that it has practically formalized a constitutional coup.

Last Tuesday, Maia Sandu had consultations with all the parliamentary factions to find a solution to the current political crisis. At the end of the consultations, while the Socialist deputies were in the meeting with president Sandu, Mariana Durleșteanu announced on Facebook that she withdrew her candidacy for the prime minister position. Immediately after the meeting with the Socialist representatives, Maia Sandu stated that she acknowledged Durleșteanu’s withdrawal and proposed a new candidate for the prime minister, Igor Grosu, the current interim-president of the Action and Solidarity Party. This second nomination comes after the Constitutional Court declared Sandu’s former nomination, Natalia Gavrilița, unconstitutional and recommended the president to have consultations with the parliamentary factions. 

The Socialist deputies declared on the day after the consultations that they will notify the Constitutional Court on Sandu’s proposing Igor Grosu for prime minister, stating that they consider it unconstitutional. On the same day, they proposed their own candidate for prime minister, the current Ambassador to Russia, Vladimir Golovatiuc.