Moldovan prime minister Alexandru Munteanu announced his resignation on Friday, offering little explanation other than that he felt he could no longer govern in line with his "principles and convictions".

"I accepted the responsibility of serving as Prime Minister with a deep sense of duty and the firm conviction that I could help bring about positive change," Munteanu wrote in a post on social media. "The moment I realized that I could no longer carry out my mandate in accordance with my principles and convictions, I chose to step down".

Responding to the news on X, Moldova's president Maia Sandu thanked Munteanu for his work and said she would start consultations with the country's political parties on Monday over selecting a new prime minister.

"Moldova’s path remains unchanged: reforms and EU accession," Sandu added.

In a press conference, Sandu pushed back at suggestions Munteanu had stepped down as he was "not allowed to fight against abuses," calling such claims "false".