The future Moldovan president will have to give up his party membership. The racing for the presidential seat will start, for the first time, concomitantly for all the hopefuls. It will kick off 30 days before the 30 October elections.

The parliamentary committee in charge has endorsed these amendments to the Electoral Code today and proposes them for the second reading.

"The campaign will start on September 30, or on October 1. No candidate will be allowed to display political advertising before that date. It’s the recommendation of the Venice Commission," said Democratic MP Sergiu Sirbu.

Opposition lawmakers have had objections to these amendments. They say the candidates should have more time to campaign, but the proposals were rejected.

"Let’s have 90 days for the presidential campaign and 30 days for the candidates to collect 15,000 signatures. Let’s start on September 1," said Socialist MP Vasile Bolea.

The presidential hopefuls will start gathering signatures 60 days before the elections and will end the procedure 30 days before the date.