Politics of Ukraine

Shortly after becoming independent in 1991, Ukraine named a parliamentary commission to prepare a new constitution, adopted a multi-party system, and adopted legislative guarantees of civil and political rights for national minorities. A new, democratic constitution was adopted on 28 June 1996, which mandates a pluralistic political system with protection of basic human rights and liberties, and a semi-presidential form of government.

The Constitution was amended in December 2004[11] to ease the resolution of the 2004 presidential election crisis. The consociationalist agreement transformed the form of government in a semi-presidentialism in which the President of Ukraine had to cohabit with a powerful Prime Minister. The Constitutional Amendments took force between January and May 2006.

The Constitutional Court of Ukraine in October 2010 overturned the 2004 amendments, considering them unconstitutional.[12] The present valid Constitution of Ukraine is therefore the 1996 text. On November 18, 2010 The Venice Commission published its report titled The Opinion of the Constitutional Situation in Ukraine in Review of the Judgement of Ukraine's Constitutional Court, in which it stated "It also considers highly unusual that far-reaching constitutional amendments, including the change of the political system of the country - from a parliamentary system to a parliamentary presidential one - are declared unconstitutional by a decision of the Constitutional Court after a period of 6 years. ... As Constitutional Courts are bound by the Constitution and do not stand above it, such decisions raise important questions of democratic legitimacy and the rule of law".[13]

On February 21, 2014 the parliament passed a law that reinstated the December 8, 2004 amendments of the constitution.[14] This was passed under simplified procedure without any decision of the relevant committee and was passed in the first and the second reading in one voting by 386 deputies.[14] The law was approved by 140 MPs of the Party of Regions, 89 MPs of Batkivshchyna, 40 MPs of UDAR, 32 of the Communist Party, and 50 independent lawmakers.[14] According to Radio Free Europe, however, the measure was not signed by the then-President Viktor Yanukovych, who was subsequently removed from office.[15]

The president is elected by popular vote for a five-year term.[17] The President nominates the Prime Minister, who must be confirmed by parliament. The Prime-minister and cabinet are de jure appointed by the Parliament on submission of the President and Prime Minister respectively. Pursuant to Article 114 of the Constitution of Ukraine.

The Verkhovna Rada (Parliament of Ukraine) has 450 members, elected for a four-year term (five-year between 2006 and 2012 with the 2004 amendments). Prior to 2006, half of the members were elected by proportional representation and the other half by single-seat constituencies. Starting with the March 2006 parliamentary election, all 450 members of the Verkhovna Rada were elected by party-list proportional representation. The Verkhovna Rada initiates legislation, ratifies international agreements, and approves the budget.

The overall trust in legislative powers in Ukraine is very low.[18]

Ukrainian parties tend not to have clear-cut ideologies[19] but incline to centre around civilizational and geostrategic orientations (rather than economic and socio-political agendas, as in Western politics),[20] around personalities and business interests.[21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32] Party membership is lower than 1% of the population eligible to vote (compared to an average of 4.7% in the European Union[33]).[34][35]

Parties currently represented in the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine's parliament)

	(Shading indicates majority caucus)									Total	Vacant
	Petro Poroshenko Bloc	People's Front	Opposition Bloc	Self Reliance	Radical Party	Fatherland	Revival[a 1]	People's Will[a 2][a 3]	Non-affiliated[a 4]
End of previous convocation	DNP[a 5]	DNP[a 6]	DNP[a 7]	DNP	1	86	41	35	93	445	5
Seats won in 2014 election[36]	132	82	29	33	22	19	DNP	DNP	96	423	27
November 27, 2014 (first session)[44][40]	145	83	40	32			19	20	38	418	32
December 2, 2014[45][40]	147									420	30
February 5, 2015[40]	150	82		31	21			18	42	422	28
June 24, 2015[40]	144	81	43				22	19		422	28
October 22, 2015[40]	142			26				20	48	422	28
February 13, 2016[40]	136						23		53	422	28
April 11, 2016[40]	141								47	422	28
April 12, 2016[40]	145[a 8]							19	44	422	28
July 19, 2016[40]	142								42	422	28
September 21, 2016[40]	143					21			46	422	28
December 23, 2016[40][47]	142					20	24	18	48	422	28
September 10, 2017[40]	138						20	17	51	422	28
July 31, 2017[40]	135			25			24	19	55	422	28
November 22, 2018[40]	135		38						60	422	28
Latest voting share	32.7%	19.2%	10.2%	6.2%	4.7%	4.7%	6.2%	4.0%	12.1%	93.8%	6.2%
Revival was briefly called Economic Development in 2014. It was also a parliamentary group like People's Will until 2015. People's Will is a parliamentary group. Parliamentary groups consist of non-partisan deputies or representatives of parties that did not overcome election threshold (i.e. Svoboda, Strong Ukraine, etc.). The People's Will deputy group in previous convocation was known as Sovereign European Ukraine. Parties that did not pass the 5% threshold of the 2014 Ukrainian parliamentary election, Svoboda (7 seats), Right Sector (1 seat), Strong Ukraine (1 seat), Volia (1 seat), and Zastup (1 seat) are part of non-affiliated.[36] After the 17 July 2016 constituency mid-term elections the parties UKROP and Our Land joined them.[37] 30% of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc election list was filled by members of the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform (UDAR), which did not participate in the 2014 election independently. UDAR participated in the 2012 election, consisting of a faction of 41 deputies in the previous convocation.[38][39][40] People's Front is a September 2014 split off from Fatherland; many current members of the People's Front were members of the Fatherland faction of the previous convocation.[41][42] The Opposition Bloc consists mainly of former members of former President Yanukovych's Party of Regions,[43] which formed the largest caucus after the 2012 election with 185 deputies, although after the removal of Yanukovych and the 2014 Ukrainian revolution, the caucus consisted of only 78 members. The addition of these four deputies made it possible for Petro Poroshenko Bloc and People's Front to form a government without additional parties.[46]

Parliamentary Election 2012

Main article: 2012 Ukrainian parliamentary election

 ← Summary of the 28 October 2012 Verkhovna Rada election results →

Party		Nationwide constituency				Const. seats	Total seats
		Votes	%	±pp	Seats		Seats	+/-
	Party of Regions	6,116,815	30.00	4.37	72	113	185 / 450	10
	Fatherland (including United Opposition)[lower-alpha 1]	5,208,390	25.55	5.17[lower-alpha 2]	62	39	101 / 450	55
	Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform (UDAR) of Vitali Klitschko	2,847,878	13.97	New	34	6	40 / 450	New
	Communist Party of Ukraine	2,687,246	13.18	7.79	32	—	32 / 450	5
	Freedom	2,129,246	10.45	9.68	25	12	37 / 450	37
	Party of Natalia Korolevska "Ukraine – Forward!"	322,202	1.58	New	—	—	—	New
	Our Ukraine	226,482	1.11	13.05[lower-alpha 3]	—	—	—	72
	Radical Party of Oleh Lyashko	221,136	1.08	New	—	1	1 / 450	New
	Party of Pensioners of Ukraine	114,198	0.56	0.41[lower-alpha 4]	—	—	—	0
	Socialist Party of Ukraine	93,081	0.46	2.41	—	—	—	0
	Party of Greens of Ukraine	70,316	0.35	0.06	—	—	—	0
	Ukrainian Party "Green Planet"	70,117	0.35	—	—	—	—	0
	Russian Bloc	63,530	0.31	—	—	—	—	0
	Greens	51,386	0.25	New	—	—	—	New
	Ukraine of the Future	38,544	0.19	New	—	—	—	New
	Political Association "Native Fatherland"	32,724	0.16	New	—	—	—	New
	People's Labor Union of Ukraine	22,854	0.11	New	—	—	—	New
	New Politics	21,033	0.10	—	—	—	—	0
	All-Ukrainian Association "Community"	17,678	0.08	—	—	—	—	0
	UNA-UNSO	16,937	0.08	—	—	—	—	0
	Liberal Party of Ukraine	15,566	0.07	—	—	—	—	0
	United Centre	—[lower-alpha 5]	—	—	—	3	3 / 450	New
	People's Party	—[lower-alpha 5]	—	—	—	2	2 / 450	18[lower-alpha 6]
	Union	—[lower-alpha 5]	—	—	—	1	1 / 450	1
	Independents	—	—	—	—	43	43 / 450	43
Total valid votes		20,388,138	100		225	220	445
Invalid ballot papers		409,068	1.97
Vacant (constituencies with no result)						5	5 / 450
Total		20,797,206			225	225	450
Registered voters/turnout		36,213,010	57.43
Source: CEC (Proportional votes, Single-member constituencies)
Notes: United Opposition is the name of coalition of parties, all of which participated under Fatherland umbrella Result is compared with Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc, the main part of which Fatherland was at the previous election Result is compared with Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc, the main part of which Our Ukraine was at the previous election Result is compared with Bloc of the Party of Pensioners of Ukraine, the main part of which Party of Pensioners of Ukraine was at the previous election These parties did not participate in party voting, but only in single-member constituencies Result is compared with Lytvyn Bloc, the main part of which People's Party was at the previous election

Parliamentary Election 2007

Political alignment 2007

Swing 2006 to 2007 (Top Six parties)

Highest vote per region (Percentage by national vote)

Party of Regions vote per region (Percentage by national vote)

Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko vote per region (Percentage by national vote)

Our Ukraine People's self-defence vote per region (Percentage by national vote)

Communist Party of Ukraine vote per region (Percentage by national vote)

Bloc Lytvyn vote per region (Percentage by national vote)

Socialist Party of Ukraine vote per region (Percentage by national vote)

Main article: 2007 Ukrainian parliamentary election

  ←Summary of the 30 September 2007 Verkhovna Rada election results →

Parties and coalitions			Votes	%	±pp	Seats	+/-
	Party of Regions		8,013,895	34.37	2.23	175 / 450	11
	Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc	Fatherland Ukrainian Social Democratic Party Reforms and Order Party	7,162,193	30.72	8.42	156 / 450	27
	Our Ukraine — People's Self-Defense	Our Ukraine Forward, Ukraine! People's Movement of Ukraine Ukrainian People's Party Ukrainian Republican Party "Sobor" Christian Democratic Union European Party of Ukraine Pora! Motherland Defenders Party	3,301,282	14.16	0.20	72 / 450	9
	Communist Party of Ukraine		1,257,291	5.39	1.72	27 / 450	6
	Lytvyn Bloc	People's Party Labour Party of Ukraine	924,538	3.97	1.52	20 / 450	20
	Socialist Party of Ukraine		668,234	2.87	2.83	—	33
	Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine		309,008	1.33	1.60[lower-alpha 1]	—	0
	Freedom		178,660	0.77	0.41	—	0
	Party of Greens of Ukraine		94,505	0.41	0.13	—	0
	Ukrainian Regional Asset (Hurray!)	People's Democratic Party Democratic Party of Ukraine Republican Christian Party	80,944	0.35	0.15[lower-alpha 2]	—	0
	Communist Party of Ukraine (renewed)		68,602	0.29	—[lower-alpha 3]	—	0
	Party of Free Democrats		50,852	0.22	New	—	New
	Bloc of the Party of Pensioners of Ukraine	Party of Pensioners of Ukraine Party of Protection of Pensioners of Ukraine	34,845	0.15	0.05[lower-alpha 4]	—	0
	Party of National Economic Development of Ukraine		33,489	0.14	0.10	—	0
	Ukrainian People's Bloc	Ukraine United For the Welfare and Protection of the People	28,414	0.12	New	—	New
	Peasants' Bloc "Agrarian Ukraine"	Rural Revival Party New Ukraine	25,675	0.11	New	—	New
	Christian Bloc	Social Christian Party Ecology and Social Protection	24,597	0.11	0.02[lower-alpha 5]	—	0
	KUCHMA Bloc	Union Center	23,676	0.10	New	—	New
	All-Ukrainian Community	Party of Peace and Unity National-Democratic Association "Ukraine" Conscience of Ukraine Political Party of Small and Medium-sized Businesses of Ukraine	12,327	0.05	New	—	New
	Party of People's Trust		5,342	0.02	0.10	—	0
Against all			637,185	2.73	0.96
Invalid ballot papers			379,658	1.63	0.32
Total			23,315,257	100		450
Registered voters/turnout			37,588,040	62.03	5.52
Source: Central Electoral Commission
Notes: Result is compared to the People's Opposition Bloc of Natalia Vitrenko, the main part of which the Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine was at the previous election Result is compared to the Block NDP This party did not participate in previous election Result is compared to the Party of Pensioners of Ukraine Result is compared to the Social Christian Party

constitutional jurisdiction:

• the Constitutional Court of Ukraine.

general jurisdiction:

• the Supreme Court of Ukraine;
• high specialized courts: the High Arbitration Court of Ukraine (Ukrainian: Вищий господарський суд України), the High Administrative Court of Ukraine;
• regional courts of appeal, specialized courts of appeal;
• local district courts.

Laws, acts of the parliament and the Cabinet, presidential edicts, and acts of the Crimean parliament (Autonomous Republic of Crimea) may be nullified by the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, when they are found to violate the Constitution of Ukraine. Other normative acts are subject to judicial review. The Supreme Court of Ukraine is the main body in the system of courts of general jurisdiction.

The Constitution of Ukraine provides for trials by jury. This has not yet been implemented in practice. Moreover, some courts provided for by legislation as still in project, as is the case for, e.g., the Court of Appeals of Ukraine. The reform of the judicial branch is presently under way. Important is also the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, granted with the broad rights of control and supervision.

Administrative divisions of Ukraine are 24 oblasts (regions), with each oblast further divided into rayons (districts). The current administrative divisions remained the same as the local administrations of the Soviet Union. The heads of the oblast and rayon are appointed and dismissed by the President of Ukraine and serve as representatives of the central government in Kyiv. They govern over locally elected assemblies. This system encourages regional elites to compete fiercely for control over the central government and the position of the president.[72]

During 1992, a number of pro-Russian political organizations in Crimea advocated secession of Crimea and annexation to Russia. During USSR times Crimea was ceded from Russia to Ukraine in 1954 by First Secretary Nikita Khrushchev to mark the 300th anniversary of the Treaty of Pereyaslav. In July 1992, the Crimean and Ukrainian parliaments determined that Crimea would remain under Ukrainian jurisdiction while retaining significant cultural and economic autonomy, thus creating the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

The Crimean peninsula—while under Ukraininan sovereignty, served as site for major military bases of both Ukrainian and Russian forces, and was heavily populated by ethnic Russians.

In early 2014, Ukraine's pro-Russian president, Viktor Yanukovich, was ousted by Ukraininans over his refusal to ally Ukraine with the European Union, rather than Russia. In response, Russia invaded Crimea in February 2014 and occupied it.

In March 2014,[73] a controversial referendum was held in Crimea with 97% of voters backing joining Russia.[74]

On 18 March 2014, Russia and the new, self-proclaimed Republic of Crimea signed a treaty of accession of the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol in the Russian Federation. In response, the UN General Assembly passed non-binding resolution 68/262 declaring the referendum invalid, and officially supporting Ukraine's claim to Crimea. Although Russia administers the peninsula as two federal subjects, Ukraine and the majority of countries do not recognise Russia's annexation.[75][76]

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• List of Ukrainian politicians
• Declaration of Independence
• Proclamation of Independence
• Corruption in Ukraine
• Cassette Scandal
• Ukraine without Kuchma
• Orange Revolution
• Russia-Ukraine gas dispute
• Universal of National Unity
• 2007 Ukrainian political crisis
• NATO-Ukrainian relations
• Ukrainian nationalism

Center for Adaptation of Civil Service to the Standards of EU - public institution established by the Decree of Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine to facilitate administrative reform in Ukraine and to enhance the adaptation of the civil service to the standards of the European Union.

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