Agrarian Party of Moldova
Encyclopedia
The Agrarian Party of Moldova , formerly the Democratic Agrarian Party of Moldova (Partidul Democrat Agrar din Moldova, PDAM), is a Moldova
n political party, prominent from 1991 to 1998. Governing for most of this period, the party represented a large centrist multi-ethnic bloc led by former collective farm
chairmen and village mayors. These reformed Communists were motivated more by patronage than ideology and committed to maintaining their positions of power in the privatised agricultural and agro-industrial sector. To its right stood the pan-Romania
ns of the Popular Front
, and to its left, the Socialists and later the Communists.
; Dumitru Moţpan was its first president. At the time, the sitting Moldovan Parliament
was the one elected in 1990, when non-Communist parties were still banned, and deputies freely entered and exited nascent parties in a chaotic environment. In this way, the PDAM, with its clear policy orientation, institutional power base and good organisation, quickly gained the most seats and became the effective governing party, standing at the centre of the national unity government formed in mid-1992 following the end of hostilities in the War of Transnistria
. Composed largely of the former Communist agricultural and agro-industrial elite, the party championed Moldovan sovereignty, opposing attempts to join Romania and Russia. For a time, its most radical members rejected the Front's description of Moldovans' ethnicity and language as Romanian, maintaining the Soviet view of an ethnic distinction between Romanians
and Moldovans
. By 1994, this ideology, sometimes called Moldovenism
, had become a central tenet of the party's platform. It was notably promoted in a speech by the party's most prominent spokesman at the time, President
Mircea Snegur
, marking a shift from his earlier more pro-Romanian stance.
The speech undoubtedly helped propel the Agrarian Democrats to victory in the February 1994 election
, the country's first since independence. The Front's weakening since 1990 had already shown the unpopularity of pan-Romanian notions, and Snegur's rhetoric was against union with Romania and in favour of independence and territorial integrity. At the election, the Front finished in last place of the parties elected and the PDAM's 43.2% of the vote translated into an absolute majority in parliament (56 of 104 seats). Further confirming the popularity of government policy, at a referendum the following month, 95.4% voted that Moldova should remain an "independent and unitary state", while at the 1995 local elections, the party scored 47% of the vote.
Following the 1994 election, the Agrarians reversed a number of Frontist reforms enacted a few years earlier. Parliament voted to drop "Deşteaptă-te, române!
", used in Romania as well, as the national anthem. The Constitution of Moldova
, adopted by Parliament in July 1994, describes that state language as the "Moldovan language" and makes no reference to its relationship with Romanian, as did the 1989 language laws. Language tests mandated for state employees by those laws were suspended, and the State Department of Languages, which had previously conducted "raids" on institutions to ensure employees knew the official language, virtually shut down. These measures ended language as a major political issue and made Moldova de facto bilingual. The party also supported autonomy for the Gagauz
, which soon manifested itself in the creation of Gagauzia
. Furthermore, it backed closer relations with Russia
and the former Soviet republics, calling for participation in the CIS
' economic structures but not its political or military ones (Moldova joined the CIS in 1994), and advocating permanent neutrality and the banning of foreign troops from the country (then as now stationed in Transnistria
). The PDAM wished for a slow transition to capitalism, continuing market reforms but with generous subsidies and credits for agriculture.
Despite the linguistic compromises reached in 1994, the matter did resurface in March 1995, when mass student demonstrations called for the constitution to recognise the language as "Romanian" and not "Moldovan". Snegur showed his support for these demands in a speech the following month delivered in order to differentiate himself in the upcoming presidential election
. Soon afterwards, Snegur and his rival, parliament chairman Petru Lucinschi
, formed their own parties, the former appealing to right and centre-right ethnic Moldovans; the latter to left-wing Moldovans and Slavs. A number of PDAM deputies defected to Snegur's new party, forcing the Agrarians to rely on support from the Slavic-dominated Socialist Unity Bloc. The third major candidate was Prime Minister Andrei Sangheli
, who remained a leader of the Agrarian Democrats. A victorious Lucinschi was able to push through an ambitious privatisation programme in 1997 despite much resistance from the PDAM and their Slavic allies, although at the Agrarians' insistence, agricultural subsidies ballooned and privatisation and restructuring in that sector remained slow.
The Agrarian Democrats collapsed at the March 1998 election
, taking 3.6% of the vote and failing to enter parliament. Two main reasons were the cause: economic malaise and the fading of the ethnic issue allowed for a Communist resurgence, and disputes among PDAM sympathizers Snegur, Lucinschi and Sangheli caused internal division. Moreover, with Snegur's party occupying the centre-right, Lucinschi's the centre and the Communists the far left, the moderate leftists of the PDAM were outflanked, having alienated Moldovan peasants by allying with Slavs against the popular Lucinschi and opposing the transformation of collective farms into private ones. Until 2001, three alliances governed together mainly as a way to block the Communists, who won the election that year
. There, the PDAM took 1.2% of the vote, failing to regain ground at the 2003 local elections.
At the party's 8th congress in July 2004, its name was changed to its current form, and despite preparations to do so, it failed to contest the 2005 election. Now led by Anatol Popuşoi, it has some 10,000 members. At the April 2009 election, it supported the ruling Communists, with Popuşoi being included on that party's list of candidates.
Moldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
n political party, prominent from 1991 to 1998. Governing for most of this period, the party represented a large centrist multi-ethnic bloc led by former collective farm
Collective farming
Collective farming and communal farming are types of agricultural production in which the holdings of several farmers are run as a joint enterprise...
chairmen and village mayors. These reformed Communists were motivated more by patronage than ideology and committed to maintaining their positions of power in the privatised agricultural and agro-industrial sector. To its right stood the pan-Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
ns of the Popular Front
Popular Front of Moldova
The Popular Front of Moldova was a political movement in the Moldavian SSR, one of the 15 union republics of the former Soviet Union, and in the newly-independent Republic of Moldova. Formally, the Front existed from 1989 to 1992...
, and to its left, the Socialists and later the Communists.
History
The Agrarian Party traces its origins to a parliamentary club numbering 60 deputies and called Viaţa Satului ("The Life of the Village"), set up in April 1990. The party was formally created in November 1991, three months after Moldova's independence from the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
; Dumitru Moţpan was its first president. At the time, the sitting Moldovan Parliament
Parliament of the Republic of Moldova
The Parliament of the Republic of Moldova is a unicameral assembly with 101 seats. Its members are elected by popular vote every 4 years. The parliament then elects a president, who functions as the head of state...
was the one elected in 1990, when non-Communist parties were still banned, and deputies freely entered and exited nascent parties in a chaotic environment. In this way, the PDAM, with its clear policy orientation, institutional power base and good organisation, quickly gained the most seats and became the effective governing party, standing at the centre of the national unity government formed in mid-1992 following the end of hostilities in the War of Transnistria
War of Transnistria
The War of Transnistria was a limited conflict that broke out in November 1990 at Dubăsari between pro-Transnistria forces, including the Transnistrian Republican Guard, militia and Cossack units, and supported by elements of the Russian 14th army, and pro-Moldovan forces, including Moldovan...
. Composed largely of the former Communist agricultural and agro-industrial elite, the party championed Moldovan sovereignty, opposing attempts to join Romania and Russia. For a time, its most radical members rejected the Front's description of Moldovans' ethnicity and language as Romanian, maintaining the Soviet view of an ethnic distinction between Romanians
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
and Moldovans
Moldovans
Moldovans or Moldavians are the largest population group of Moldova...
. By 1994, this ideology, sometimes called Moldovenism
Moldovenism
Moldovenism is a political term used to refer to the support and promotion of the Moldovan identity and Moldovan culture.Some of its supporters ascribe this identity to the medieval Principality of Moldavia...
, had become a central tenet of the party's platform. It was notably promoted in a speech by the party's most prominent spokesman at the time, President
President of Moldova
The President of the Republic of Moldova is the head of state of Moldova.-Description of the post:According to the Article 77 of the Constitution of Moldova , the President of Moldova is the head of the State and represents the State and is the guarantor of national sovereignty, independence, of...
Mircea Snegur
Mircea Snegur
Mircea Ion Snegur was the first President of Moldova 1990-1996. Before that he was Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet 1989-1990 and Chairman of the Supreme Soviet from 27 April to 3 September 1990...
, marking a shift from his earlier more pro-Romanian stance.
The speech undoubtedly helped propel the Agrarian Democrats to victory in the February 1994 election
Moldovan parliamentary election, 1994
An early parliamentary election took place in Moldova on February 27, 1994.- Background :Beginning with 1994, the Parliament functions on a permanent basis, with the quality of parliamentarian being incompatible with any other remunerated office, except for teaching and scientific activities...
, the country's first since independence. The Front's weakening since 1990 had already shown the unpopularity of pan-Romanian notions, and Snegur's rhetoric was against union with Romania and in favour of independence and territorial integrity. At the election, the Front finished in last place of the parties elected and the PDAM's 43.2% of the vote translated into an absolute majority in parliament (56 of 104 seats). Further confirming the popularity of government policy, at a referendum the following month, 95.4% voted that Moldova should remain an "independent and unitary state", while at the 1995 local elections, the party scored 47% of the vote.
Following the 1994 election, the Agrarians reversed a number of Frontist reforms enacted a few years earlier. Parliament voted to drop "Deşteaptă-te, române!
Desteapta-te, române!
"Deșteaptă-te, române" is Romania's national anthem....
", used in Romania as well, as the national anthem. The Constitution of Moldova
Constitution of Moldova
The Constitution of the Republic of Moldova is that country's supreme law.The current Constitution of Moldova was adopted on July 29, 1994 and published in Monitorul Oficial al R. Moldova, N1, July 18, 1994.- Constitutions of Moldova :...
, adopted by Parliament in July 1994, describes that state language as the "Moldovan language" and makes no reference to its relationship with Romanian, as did the 1989 language laws. Language tests mandated for state employees by those laws were suspended, and the State Department of Languages, which had previously conducted "raids" on institutions to ensure employees knew the official language, virtually shut down. These measures ended language as a major political issue and made Moldova de facto bilingual. The party also supported autonomy for the Gagauz
Gagauz people
The Gagauz people are Turkic speaking group living mostly in southern Moldova , southwestern Ukraine , south-eastern Romania and northeastern Bulgaria. Unlike most other Turkic speaking people, the Gagauz are predominantly Orthodox Christians...
, which soon manifested itself in the creation of Gagauzia
Gagauzia
Gagauzia , formally known as the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Găgăuzia , is an autonomous region of...
. Furthermore, it backed closer relations with Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and the former Soviet republics, calling for participation in the CIS
Commonwealth of Independent States
The Commonwealth of Independent States is a regional organization whose participating countries are former Soviet Republics, formed during the breakup of the Soviet Union....
' economic structures but not its political or military ones (Moldova joined the CIS in 1994), and advocating permanent neutrality and the banning of foreign troops from the country (then as now stationed in Transnistria
Transnistria
Transnistria is a breakaway territory located mostly on a strip of land between the Dniester River and the eastern Moldovan border to Ukraine...
). The PDAM wished for a slow transition to capitalism, continuing market reforms but with generous subsidies and credits for agriculture.
Despite the linguistic compromises reached in 1994, the matter did resurface in March 1995, when mass student demonstrations called for the constitution to recognise the language as "Romanian" and not "Moldovan". Snegur showed his support for these demands in a speech the following month delivered in order to differentiate himself in the upcoming presidential election
Moldovan presidential election, 1996
The first round of 1996 Moldovan presidential elections was held in Moldova on 17 November and a run-off round between Petru Lucinschi and Mircea Snegur was held on 1 December 1996.- Results :-References:...
. Soon afterwards, Snegur and his rival, parliament chairman Petru Lucinschi
Petru Lucinschi
Petru Chiril Lucinschi was Moldova's second President .- Biography :Petru Chiril Lucinschi was born on January 27, 1940 in Rădulenii Vechi village, Soroca County, Romania...
, formed their own parties, the former appealing to right and centre-right ethnic Moldovans; the latter to left-wing Moldovans and Slavs. A number of PDAM deputies defected to Snegur's new party, forcing the Agrarians to rely on support from the Slavic-dominated Socialist Unity Bloc. The third major candidate was Prime Minister Andrei Sangheli
Andrei Sangheli
Andrei Sangheli is a Moldovan politician.-References:...
, who remained a leader of the Agrarian Democrats. A victorious Lucinschi was able to push through an ambitious privatisation programme in 1997 despite much resistance from the PDAM and their Slavic allies, although at the Agrarians' insistence, agricultural subsidies ballooned and privatisation and restructuring in that sector remained slow.
The Agrarian Democrats collapsed at the March 1998 election
Moldovan parliamentary election, 1998
A parliamentary election took place in Moldova on March 22, 1998.- Results :At the legislative elections on March 22, 1998, the Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova, which was re-legalized in 1994 after being banned in 1991, gained 40 of the 101 places in the Moldovan Parliament,Seats...
, taking 3.6% of the vote and failing to enter parliament. Two main reasons were the cause: economic malaise and the fading of the ethnic issue allowed for a Communist resurgence, and disputes among PDAM sympathizers Snegur, Lucinschi and Sangheli caused internal division. Moreover, with Snegur's party occupying the centre-right, Lucinschi's the centre and the Communists the far left, the moderate leftists of the PDAM were outflanked, having alienated Moldovan peasants by allying with Slavs against the popular Lucinschi and opposing the transformation of collective farms into private ones. Until 2001, three alliances governed together mainly as a way to block the Communists, who won the election that year
Moldovan parliamentary election, 2001
Moldovan early parliamentary elections took place on February 25, 2001. Turnout was 67.52 percent.-Election outcome:The Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova won the election. Vladimir Voronin was elected president shortly thereafter by the newly elected parliament-Sources:*...
. There, the PDAM took 1.2% of the vote, failing to regain ground at the 2003 local elections.
At the party's 8th congress in July 2004, its name was changed to its current form, and despite preparations to do so, it failed to contest the 2005 election. Now led by Anatol Popuşoi, it has some 10,000 members. At the April 2009 election, it supported the ruling Communists, with Popuşoi being included on that party's list of candidates.