The Social Democratic Party (, PSD) is an extra-parliamentary political party in Moldova currently led by Victor Șelin. History In the autumn of 1989, the materials of the 18th Stockholm Congress of Socialist International reached Chişinău from Estonia and did stir up a lot of debates among those dissatisfied with the political realities in Moldovan SSR. The party was founded on May 13, 1990, when was known as the Social Democratic Party of Moldova (). The Founding Conference elected Oazu Nantoi, Ion Negură, Alexandru Coșelev as the Party Co-Chairpersons. Initially, the Social-Democratic Party of Moldova fought for the independence of the Moldovan SSR. That was the first party to promote the values of European social democracy in Moldova. At the third congress of the party, 25–26 February 1995, Anatol Țăranu was elected as a new head of the party. On the eve of 1996 presidential elections, Social Democrats were the only ones to openly support Petru Lucinschi. From 1996 to 1998, the party underwent some internal problems generated from within by controversial opinions on the party political course as well as from outside. This internal crisis culminated in 1998, when Gheorghe Sima group left the party. The old team headed by Oazu Nantoi took over the party leadership. Oazu Nantoi was a member of the Government of Moldova, but he resigned from Government in March 2000 and the 7th Congress of the party, 27–28 May 2000, was just the first step towards launching its own candidate as the president of Moldova. Social-Democratic Party of Moldova was a member of the Socialist International. Incumbent Party Chairperson, Oazu Nantoi, attended in November 1999 the 21st Paris Congress of the Socialist International. At the seventh congress of the party, 1 February 2004, Oazu Nantoi came with a proposition for Ion Mușuc (famous businessman in telecommunications) to take over the party leadership and refused he himself to be designated. In 1999 Social Democrats insisted on Ion Muşuc candidacy for the position of Mayor of Chișinău. At the legislative elections on March 6th, 2005, the party won 2.9% of the popular vote, but no seats. In December 2007 the party merged with the Social Democracy Party (Partidul Democraţiei Sociale, PDS) of former prime minister Dumitru Braghiș. Some representatives of the Centrist Union of Moldova joined the new party, too. They didn't agree with the decision of their leader, Mihai Petrache, to abandon the process of