Deadlock over presidency

  • Goverment, Prime minister, president formation

    Four pro-western parties form coalition government. Liberal Democratic Party leader Vlad Filat becomes prime minister. Mr Voronin resigns as president, and is succeeded by Mr Ghimpu on an acting basis.
  • Mr Voronin resings as speaker

    Mr Voronin resigns as speaker, and is succeeded by Liberal Party leader Mihai Ghimpu.
  • Communist refuses to back governing candidate for the presidency

    Opposition Communist MPs refuse to back the governing coalition's candidate for the presidency.
  • Fresh presidential election

    Constitutional Court orders fresh parliamentary election to be held in bid to end deadlock over parliament's failure to elect president.
  • Referendum

    Referendum to introduce direct election of president by people fails on account of low turnout. The referendum was proposed by the pro-Western liberal governing coalition in a bid to break Moldova's political impasse.
  • Third election in >2 years time

    Third parliamentary election in less than two years. The ruling pro-Western coalition wins, but again fails to secure enough seats to enable it to appoint a new president.
  • Marian Lupu becomes the president

    Marian Lupu, a former rising star on the liberal wing of the Communist Party who switched to the Democratic Party in 2009, takes over as acting president.
  • Parliament fails to elect a president

    Anti-corruption campaigner Yevgeny Shevchuk defeats pro-Russian candidates in Trans-Dniester's presidential election. Pledges to establish "friendly relations" with Moldova while continuing to press for the independence of the separatist region.The Moldovan parliament again fails to elect a president.
  • Nicolae Timofti elected president

    Nicolae Timofti elected president, ending years of failure to agree.