After June 7, PDM refused to recognize the lawfulness of the new government. On June 14, the Party announced that it forms the opposition. “We will be in opposition to all those who undermine Moldova’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, who violate the Constitution, the laws, who trample the European values,” told the press President of the PDM parliamentary faction, Pavel Filip. “We will be just as strong as opposition as we were in power,” Vlad Plahotniuc wrote on Facebook. PDM Deputy Sergiu Sarbu was even more categorical about the new government: “I will be very tough … I will be your nightmare.”

Valentin Krilov, politician

PDM withdrew from power and promises to be very tough in opposition. What does Filip say? “You have promised that you will be better than us, and we will monitor how you keep your word.” And I agree with that. Promises must be respected. I believe that PDM is on the electoral stage with these statements, given that the agreement signed by PSRM and ACUM is a temporary one. We’ll have early elections no later than November 2020, when Igor Dodon’s mandate ends. Possibly even earlier … PSRM and ACUM are too different to be able to share leadership in the country. The executive power, most of the ministries, are owned by the ACUM Bloc. Sooner or later, there will be situations when the so-called Socialists will be against certain decisions, government decisions, actions … Especially on the topics of Transnistria, the Russian Army, the Russian language and Russian propaganda, relations with Romania, EU, NATO etc … And PDM will monitor everything. The Democrats have the experience of running a government – good, bad, as it was, that experience counts when compared to the Socialists and especially compared with the ACUM Bloc newcomers. That’s why PDM is firm in its statements. Let’s see if they fare better in opposition; we have already seen them in power.

Valeriu Muravschi, former Prime Minister

No matter how much PDM objects, they lost power. In Russian, there is an expression: “after the battle is over, one doesn’t threaten with his fists.” That is exactly what Sarbu and the others are doing now. Their statements come from enormous frustrations felt by the Democratic Party (PDM), that declared itself the most powerful party with the strongest leader and … Where is the party now? Where is the leader? I would have nothing against the PDM becoming a strong opposition, because that will make the government more accountable , but I do not think that is possible. All parties that have lost elections after the 90’s have split up. PDM will also disintegrate. It is of high importance how long the PSRM-ACUM alliance resists. I do not think it has big chances, I think we will have early elections. But elections should not happen until the government cleans up this corrupt system, created by PDM.

Anatol Taranu, political analyst

PDM might be tough in opposition, but their situation does not depend solely on them. The creation of a parliamentary commission on the putsch they are accused of, is likely to produce the removal of PDM from the political arena. It is not an unlikely scenario. But even if this does not happen, I don’t believe that PDM will be a strong opposition; it will be a vocal, noisy opposition. The influence of PDM will be very limited. On the other hand, the new government has little chance of having a long history. And from this viewpoint, either we will have early elections, or PDM will manage to become, after the split of the current ruling alliance, a political value in terms of establishing a new parliamentary majority. Probably with the Socialists. And that could dramatically change the situation. A scenario like this might happen in several months.

Alexandra Can, PNL Vice President

We saw them in power and saw their limits.  Let’s see them in the opposition too. I agree that the opposition must be very strong and must not allow the government to run wild. No matter who leads the country, an opposition must be very good and must not admit wrongdoings. Will PDM be better in opposition than they were in power? I’m not going to voice an opinion on that, let us see what will happen. In my opinion, the opposition must be like a Japanese Poka Yoke – it is a device that if there is an error risk, it stops and prevents the occurrence of the error. Now that’s an opposition, from my viewpoint.