Moldova's constitutional court rejected on Thursday a plan to hold a referendum that might have boosted the powers of pro-Russian President Igor Dodon and paved the way for a roll-back of the ex-Soviet nation's trade pact with the European Union.

The court ruled that Dodon had acted against the constitution in March, when he signed a decree to hold a referendum on whether to grant him the power to dissolve parliament and call a snap election.

The decree also proposed cutting the number of members of parliament.

"The president exceeded his authority," the court ruled.

Moldovan politics is divided between the current pro-Western government that has forged closer trade and diplomatic links with the EU and the United States, and Dodon's administration which wants Moldova back in Russia's orbit.

But a $1 billion corruption scandal has sapped the popularity of the pro-EU leaders, helping Moscow-backed Dodon win the presidency in 2016.

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