CHISINAU, Moldova — In a surprise announcement Friday, Moldovan Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu declared he is leaving office, a move that under Moldovan law immediately triggers the resignation of the entire government.
Munteanu offered no specific explanation for his decision, which comes less than a year after he was sworn in to lead the pro-Western government of the EU candidate nation — a country whose recent elections have been seen as a pivotal choice between aligning with Europe or Russia.
In a statement shared on social media, Munteanu wrote: “Today I end my term as prime minister. The moment I understand that I can no longer exercise my mandate in accordance with my principles and beliefs, I choose to walk away.”
He also noted: “I accepted the proposal to be prime minister with a lot of responsibility and strong conviction that I can contribute to changing things for the better.”
Under Moldovan law, a prime minister’s resignation takes effect immediately upon announcement. However, the government remains in place in a caretaker role until a new cabinet is assembled.
Moldovan President Maia Sandu responded to the news with a statement that both acknowledged Munteanu’s service and offered some criticism. She thanked him for guiding the country through what she called a “complex period,” but said she had hoped for “more involvement in complicated decisions, more openness to listening to people.”
Sandu outlined her next steps, saying: “Next week, I will listen to the parliamentary groups to appoint a new prime minister. We must have a united, strong team in the Government that will fulfill our country’s objective. We are obliged to succeed in taking Moldova into the EU and helping the country.”
She acknowledged the challenge ahead, adding: “From my experience, at least in recent years, it is never easy to identify candidates for the position of prime minister. I cannot know how long it will take, but we must still manage to have a government fairly quickly.”
Moldova is a landlocked nation bordered by Ukraine to the east and EU and NATO member Romania to the west. The country declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and in recent years has charted a clear course toward Western integration, making it a focal point in the ongoing geopolitical competition between Russia and Europe.
