Moldova's Constitutional Court has rejected a plan to hold a referendum to decide whether the president should be elected by popular vote rather than by parliament.
Two parties, the PLDM and PLR, had requested that a referendum on the issue be held on November 30 alongside the country's parliamentary election.
But the Constitutional Court on September 22 ruled that a referendum to amend the constitution cannot be held on the same day as a parliamentary election.
A similar referendum held in September 2010 failed because turnout fell short of the required threshold for a valid vote.
Under the current system, introduced in 2001, the president is elected by parliament and needs a minimum of 61 out of 101 votes. The system has caused difficulties in electing a head of state in the past.
