Documents

The Civil Network OPORA found that the election took place in competitive environment and in compliance with basic standards of genuine elections, whereas cases of breaking national law failed to present any constraints for citizens to exercise their right to vote and be elected. 

Representatives of the Civil Network OPORA reported that the misuse of administrative resources and transparency of campaign financing became two major challenges in February during the Presidential election campaign. They further reported on the establishment of district election commissions and on instances of false accusations launched against certain candidates of being involved in vote buying schemes.

The latest long-term monitoring report on the presidential elections by the Committee of Voters of Ukraine (CVU) indicates that there remain some technical flaws with the current legislation concerning the presidential election. These include the lack of limits on the presidential candidates' election funds and the possible appearance of a significant number of biased members of electoral commissions. Other issues concerning early campaigning and the placement of illegal campaigning are also addressed in this report. 

Current issue outlines the status quo of the electoral reform process less than a year before the parliamentary elections in October 2019 and provides an outlook for next year. Observers in Ukraine do not assume that there is currently a majority in the Parliament that supports the introduction of a proportional electoral system with open regional party lists. The completely open outcome of the upcoming presidential elections in March 2019 and the thereto related uncertainty among all political forces in Ukraine will further paralyze the reform process in the upcoming months.

On 20 September 2018, the Ukrainian Parliament appointed 14 new members of the Central Election Commission (CEC) and, thus, all nominees proposed earlier by the President. At the same time, the Parliament dismissed 13 CEC commissioners whose terms formally expired already in 2014 (one member’s term ended in February 2017). The new CEC members are appointed for seven years.

On 5 July 2018, the Ukrainian Parliament failed to renew the Central Election Commission (CEC). Only 189 out of 226 required MPs supported the motion to hold a vote (1) on the dismissal of 13 acting members of the CEC whose terms expired already in June 2014 and February 2017, and (2) on the appointment of 13 new members. Earlier, all factions and groups of the Verkhovna Rada stated that they demand the renewal of the CEC.

One of the key aspects of the electoral reform of Ukraine is the abolition of the mixed system which should be replaced by a fully proportional parliamentary election system with open party lists. Since 2012, the introduction of a proportional election system has been recommended by the Venice Commission and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. A bill on new Electoral Code introducing proportional election system has recently passed the first reading in the parliament.