We, the plenipotentiary representatives of the people of the Republic of Moldova, members of Parliament,
Starting from the age-old aspirations of our people to live in a sovereign country, and fulfilling those aspirations in proclaiming the independence of the Republic of Moldova,
Considering that while growing into a nation the Moldovan people has given strong evidence of historical and ethnic continuity in its statehood,
Striving to satisfy the interests of those of its citizens that, while being of a different ethnic origin, are, together with the Moldovans, forming the Moldovan people,
Judging the rule of law, the civic peace, democracy, human dignity, the rights and freedoms of man, the free development of human personality, justice and political pluralism to be supreme political values,
Being aware of our responsibility and duties towards the past, present and future generations,
Reassurting our devotion to overall human values, and our wish to live in peace and harmony with all the peoples of this world, in accordance with the unanimously acknowledged principles and norms of international law, we herewith adopt for our country this Constitution, and proclaim it to be the Supreme Law of our Society and State.
Title I. General Principles
Article 1
(1) The Republic of Moldova is a sovereign, independent, unitary and indivisible state.
(2) The form of government of the State is the republic.
(3) Governed by the rule of law, the Republic of Moldova is a democratic State in which the dignity of people, their rights and freedoms, the open development of human personality, justice and political pluralism represent supreme values, that shall be guaranteed.
Article 2
(1) National sovereignty resides with the people of the Republic of Moldova, who shall exercise it directly and through its representative bodies in the ways provided for by Constitution.
(2) No private individual, national segment of population, social grouping, political party or public organization may exercise state power on their own behalf. The usurpation of state power constitutes the gravest crime against the people.
Article 3
(1) The territory of the Republic of Moldova is inalienable.
(2) The frontiers of the country are sanctioned by an organic Law under the observance of unanimously recognized principles and norms of international law.
Article 4
(1) Constitutional provisions for human rights and freedoms shall be understood and implemented in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and with other conventions and treaties endorsed by the Republic of Moldova.
(2) Wherever disagreements appear between conventions and treaties signed by the Republic of Moldova and her own national laws, priority shall be given to international regulations.
Article 5
(1) Democracy in the Republic of Moldova is exercised under conditions of political pluralism, which is incompatible with dictatorship or totalitarianism.
(2) No ideology may be pronounced as an official ideology of the State.
Article 6
The Legislative, the Executive and the Judicial Powers are separate and cooperate in the exercise of their prerogatives in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.
Article 7
The Constitution of the Republic of Moldova is the supreme law of the country. No laws or other legal acts and regulations in contradiction with the provisions of the Constitution may have any legal power.
Article 8
(1) The Republic of Moldova pledges to respect the Charter of the United Nations and the treaties to which she is a party, to observe with her relations to other states the unanimously recognized principles and norms of international law.
(2) The coming into force of an international treaty containing provisions contrary to the Constitution shall be preceded by a revision of the latter.
Article 9
(1) Property can be public or private, and it can consist of material and intellectual goods.
(2) No property may be used to encroach upon or damage the rights, liberty and dignity of people.
(3) The national economy is based on the interaction of market forces, also on free economic initiative and fair competition.
Article 10
(1) The national unity of the Republic of Moldova constitutes the foundation of the State. The Republic of Moldova is the common and indivisible motherland of all her citizens.
(2) The State recognizes and guarantees all its citizens the right to preserve, develop and express their ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious identity.