Moldova's Parliament on Friday elected a judge with a European outlook as president, ending nearly three years of political deadlock in the former Soviet republic, according to AP. Lawmakers approved the election of 65-year-old Nicolae Timofti, who is chairman of the Superior Council of Magistrates. The opposition Communists - who disapprove of the government's pro-European policies - boycotted the vote, announcing protests for later in the day. "The European orientation of Moldova must be a priority," said Timofti in an address to lawmakers ahead of the vote. "This has been the policy of Moldova in recent years and this is the policy that must continue." Since 2009, the pro-European governing Alliance for European Integration, which has 58 seats, had been unable to muster enough votes to choose a president, needing a minimum of 61 votes in the 101-seat legislature. Timofti was elected with 62 votes, with four independent lawmakers ensuring his victory.
