MOLDOVA….

Vladimir Voronin was sworn in as president on April 7. He is the only communist head of government in Europe. His inaugural address was a mishmash of left- and right-wing slogans: a promise to observe international commitments but “shift some of the emphasis”, to promote foreign investment but favor local producers, to lean on “strategic partner Russia” but seek Western aid.

Voronin was elected by not by the people but by the parliament, where communists hold seventy-one of 101 seats. That looks like a solid majority, but it is not at all clear that parliament will follow where Voronin wants to go. Maybe that is why, so far at least, he is not inclined to go anywhere at all.