Reform of the administrative-territorial division and local government in the Republic of Moldova: between institutional theory and political practice

Abstract

The problem of formation of state institutions in the post-Soviet states is one of the most pressing issues in modern political science study of the region of Eastern Europe. However, very often the problems related to the reform of such an important part of state institutions as the administrative-territorial division and the system of local authorities is guided by populist policies, without taking into account objective economic and social realities of certain regions. In this case, the most important issues related to the functioning of the whole system of the state are considered by the leading political forces exclusively in terms of electoral appeal or the professed political doctrine. The article presents a comparative analysis of the relation of the basic approaches to institutional reforms in the Republic of Moldova to political ideology of the main Moldovan political forces represented in the Parliament at different stages of its development. Typically for post-Soviet republics, in the conditions of high fragmentation of political space and low level of culture of political compromise and consensus, the most important institutional reforms are often carried out for the sake of short-term interests of certain political parties and movements. Thus, a change in the political landscape and the balance of power in the Moldovan Parliament, inevitably leads to a change in the program of institutional reforms. In fact, the policies and reform ideology at different stages may be contrary to the whole previous experience and achievements, which leads to the actual resetting of the entire institutional design of the most important Moldovan state institutions.