Restrictions on the exercise of electoral rights

(1) Shall not have the right to vote persons who do not meet the conditions laid down in Article 14.

(2) Cannot be elected:

a) active duty military persons;

b) persons referred to in paragraph (1);

c) persons who are sentenced to prison (deprivation of liberty) by a final Court decision, as well as individuals who have active criminal records for deliberately committed crimes. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and/or National Integrity Agency and Ministry of Justice, within the limit of its competence, shall notify the electoral bodies about the existence of criminal records;

d) private persons who are deprived of the right to hold public positions or public dignity positions by final judicial decision or by or by a final statement of findings. The electoral bodies shall be informed of the existence of the prohibition by the Ministry of Justice, the National Integrity Authority and/ or the Ministry of Internal Affairs;

e) [declared unconstitutional by the Decision No. 16 from 03.10.2023 of the Constitutional Court.]

(3) Candidates in elections, where appropriate, the participants in the referendum who, due to the hold position, are required to observe the legal rules governing conflicts of interest, incompatibility and other restrictions and limitations provided for by special legal rules, including in order to prevent the unlawful use of administrative resources during the electoral period, shall suspend their activity in that position, from the beginning of the electoral campaign. The persons who fall under these provisions are:

a) Deputy Prime Ministers, Ministers and the ex officio Members of Government;

b) Secretary General of the President of the Republic of Moldova Office, Secretary General of the Parliament, Secretary General of the Government, Deputy General Secretaries of the Government, State Secretaries, Secretaries General of Ministers;

c) Heads and Deputy Heads of central public authorities and organisational structures falling within their sphere of competence;

d) Chairpersons and Deputy–Chairpersons of rayons;

e) Mayors and Deputy Mayors;

f) Praetors and Deputy Praetors;

g) Secretaries of Local councils and of City Halls;

h) officials/employees that have the obligation to suspend their employment relationships in accordance with the specific legal rules governing their activity.

^{[Art.16 (2) completed by Law No.220 of 31.07.2023, in force as of 18.08.2023]}

^{[Art.16 (2) completed by Law No.280 of 04.10.2023, in force as of 18.08.2023]}

^{[Art.16 (2) c) amended by Law No.1 of 18.01.2024, in force as of 25.01.2024]}

^{[Art.16 (2) f) and (21)-(24) are declared unconstitutional by Constitutional Court Decision No. 9 of 26.03.2024, in force as of 26.03.2024]}

^{[Art.16 (2) amended by Law No. 100 of 13.06.2025, in force as of 14 June 2025]}