Mandate Review (2019–2025): Six Years of Vision and Action of the Constitutional Court

On 14 August 2025, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Moldova organized an event in order to present its activities carried out during the 2019-2025 mandate. During the meeting, the judges of the Court reviewed the main achievements, the encountered challenges, and the impact of the judgments on strengthening the rule of law in the Republic of Moldova.

During the period 2019 - 2025, the Constitutional Court delivered:

• 164 judgments;
• 1067 decisions;
• 8 opinions on draft amendments to the Constitution;
• 39 addresses to the authorities.

Throughout this mandate, the Court delivered several landmark judgments on essential aspects of the constitutional life in the Republic of Moldova, such as:

• Constitutional review of international treaties (Judgment No. 12/2020) - the judgment on the financial agreement with the Russian Federation, whereby the Court defended sovereignty and national interest in international negotiations;
• "Romanian language" as a constitutional designation (Judgment No. 4/2021) - reaffirming and legally enshrining the Romanian language as the state language, in full accordance with the Declaration of Independence and the constitutional identity of the Republic of Moldova;
• Dissolution of Parliament and the balance of powers in the state (Opinion No. 1/2021) - clearly establishing the circumstances in which the legislature can be dissolved, guaranteeing institutional stability and compliance with constitutional procedures;
• Declaring the unconstitutionality of the "Șor" Party (Judgment No. 10/2023) - a decision with a direct impact on safeguarding the integrity of the democratic process and the protection of the constitutional order;
• Opinion on accession to the European Union by referendum (Opinion No. 1/2024) - establishing the constitutional framework that allowed citizens to directly express their will regarding the country's European future;
• Extraordinary evaluation of judges and prosecutors (Judgment No. 2/2025);
• Amnesty for prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment (Judgment No. 10/2025). 

On the international level, the Court has carried out extensive cooperation activities, including:

• Exercising the Presidency of the Conference of European Constitutional Courts (2021-2024), the most prestigious European platform of multilateral cooperation among constitutional review institutions;
• Organizing, in Chișinău, the XIXth Congress of the CECC (May 2024), with participation of representatives of constitutional courts from 40 states;
• Signing memorandums of cooperation with constitutional courts of Spain, Romania, and strengthening institutional cooperation with constitutional jurisdiction institutions of Austria, Latvia, Ukraine, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, and Estonia;
• Actively participating in international conferences, forums and projects in partnership with the European Union, the Council of Europe, and other organizations.

The Presidency of the CECC also provided the Court with opportunities to develop collaborations with linguistic and regional groups such as: the Association of Francophone Constitutional Courts, the Union of Arab Constitutional Courts and Councils, the Conference of African Constitutional Jurisdictions, the Eurasian Association of Constitutional Courts, the Conference of Constitutional Jurisdictions of Portuguese-Speaking Countries and others.

The Constitutional Court maintained an active dialogue with representatives of the diplomatic corps, strengthening bilateral cooperation and the exchange of best practices with diplomats from the USA, Romania, Latvia, Lithuania, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Georgia, Sweden, Slovakia, Kazakhstan, and Japan.

The institution also actively engaged in joint projects with the European Union and the Council of Europe, including within the framework of the "Support for Justice Reform in the Republic of Moldova" program.

Thanks to these projects, both judges and staff of the Court benefited from continuous training in constitutional matters at the CJEU, the Constitutional Tribunal of Spain, and the constitutional, or superior courts of Austria, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, and Estonia.

Promoting Constitutional Education 

A distinct chapter of the mandate was the promotion of constitutional education, through "Constitution and School" project, implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and the Council of Europe Office in Chișinău, which allowed students nationwide to learn about the role and activity of the Court.

During its mandate, the Constitutional Court had consolidated its role as guarantor of the supremacy of the Constitution and of the principles of the rule of law, acting with firmness, impartiality, and transparency in all examined cases.

Message of the President Domnica Manole

"We have served the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Moldova with faith and integrity, convinced that democracy does not defend itself, but through people and institutions that believe in it. With every act adopted, we defended the constitutional order of the Republic of Moldova, we protected the supremacy of the Constitution, and the fundamental human rights and freedoms.

The Constitution is not just a written law - it is the foundation of our state. And as long as this foundation is strengthened, respected, and safeguarded, the Republic of Moldova will remain free, dignified, and strong."

The event, attended also by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, Mr Dorin Recean, provided a comprehensive overview of the Court's activity over the last six years and brought together representatives of public authorities, members of the diplomatic corps, academia, civil society, as well as former judges of the Constitutional Court.