Documents

2018

EPDE Policy Alert

Electoral Reform in Ukraine #10

EPDE
Ukraine

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Photo: 5 Kanal

With 2019 just around the corner, Ukraine is preparing for two landmark elections next year - presidential and parliamentary elections. Issue no. 10 gives an outlook on next year’s presidential and parliamentary elections with a special focus on the lack of an effective system of legal liability for violations of the electoral law. 

 

EPDE Policy Alert

Electoral Reform in Ukraine #9

EPDE
Ukraine

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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.

 

Donetsk and Lugansk Elections

Foreign Observation of the Illegitimate General Elections in the DPR and LPR

EPDE
Ukraine

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The international community considered the “General elections” in Donetsk and Lugansk as illegitimate and did not send any observers to monitor them. Aiming to fill the void of legitimacy, the “authorities” of the DPR and LPR invited dozens of “international observers” from countries such as Austria, Canada, France, Italy and  Germany. None of them were transparent about the methodology they employed for observing the election processes and, therefore, violated the Code of Conduct for International Election Observers. We have identified their names and their background.

 

EPDE Policy Alert

Electoral Reform in Ukraine #8

EPDE
Ukraine

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Photo: Unian

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.

 

Follow-Up on Electoral Reform

Electoral reform in Ukraine: last chance for implementing

OPORA
Ukraine

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One of the key aspects of the electoral reform in Ukraine is the abolition of the parallel election system which should be replaced by a fully proportional parliamentary election system with open party lists. The application of a parallel system with a majoritarian component leads to preservation of an old political elite, thus the current parliament have no will to replace it.

 

EPDE Policy Alert

Electoral Reform in Ukraine #7

EPDE
Ukraine

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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.

 

Follow-Up on Electoral Reform

Information sheet on election reform in Ukraine (2017-2018)

CVU
Ukraine

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Nataliia Lynnyk, Vice-Director of the Committee of Voters of Ukraine (CVU), highlighted that the coalition agreement of 2014 envisaged the transition to a proportional electoral system with open lists in Ukraine, but its approval is still critically dependant on political consensus and the existence of political will of the parliamentary coalition and the president. 

 

Follow-Up on Electoral Reform

Electoral reform in Ukraine: key issues

OPORA
Ukraine

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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.

 

EPDE Policy Alert

Electoral Reform in Ukraine #6

EPDE
Ukraine

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On 4 April, the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Policy and Justice confirmed the composition of a working group assigned to prepare the second reading of the draft Electoral Code No. 3112-1. The draft Electoral Code was approved by the Ukrainian Parliament in the first reading in November last year. It advocates a proportional system for parliamentary elections with open regional party lists.

 

EPDE Policy Alert

Electoral Reform in Ukraine #5

EPDE
Ukraine

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On 13 April, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine submitted the Draft Law “On Introducing Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine Aimed to Strengthen the Liability for Violation of Electoral Legislation” to the Parliament (Draft Law No. 8270). The elaboration on the draft lasted for almost two years and underwent thorough discussions among stakeholders and experts of the election process in all regions of Ukraine.

 

EPDE Policy Alert

Electoral Reform in Ukraine #4

EPDE
Ukraine

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The introduction of an exclusive first-past-the-post voting system, as proposed in Draft Law No. 7366, would fundamentally contradict the goals of Ukraine’s Revolution of Dignity and the commitments of the ruling coalition. It would also oppose the will of the majority of Ukrainians, who, according to a recent poll conducted by the Razumkov Centre, are in favour of a fully proportional electoral system with open party lists for parliamentary elections.