Ukrainian parliamentary election, 2007

Early parliamentary elections in Ukraine took place on September 30, 2007. The date of the election was determined following agreement between the President Viktor Yushchenko, the Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych and the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) Oleksandr Moroz on May 27, 2007, in an attempt to resolve the political crisis in Ukraine triggered by the April 2, 2007 presidential decree on dissolution of Ukraine's parliament. ] The majority in the parliament, know as Coalition of National Unity, was formed by Party of Regions, Communist Party, and Socialist Party). It was opposed by Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc and Our Ukraine.

Early in 2007, several members of the opposition indicated their support to the ruling coalition. If sufficient numbers of members of parliament supported the government, the Coalition of National Unity could have secured a two-thirds majority, empowering the parliament to override the president's right of veto and enabling the parliament to initiate limited constitutional changes.

On April 2, 2007, Yushchenko decreed the dissolution of the Verkhovna Rada. [cite web|url=http://www.economist.com/world/europe/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8975348|title=Tragedy and farce|publisher=The Economist|date=2007-04-04]

The authority of the president to dismiss the parliament was challenged in the Constitutional Court,cite web|url=http://www.minjust.gov.ua/files/The_Legal_Opinion_of_the_Ministry_of_Justice.rtf|title=Legal Opinion with regard to the results of legal examination of Decree of the President of Ukraine dated April, 2 the year 2007 N 264 “On pre-term abatement of authority of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine”|publisher=Ministry of Justice Ukraine|format=DOC|language=English] [cite web|url=http://assembly.coe.int/Mainf.asp?link=/Documents/AdoptedText/ta07/ERES1549.htm|title=Functioning of democratic institutions in Ukraine|author=PACE|publisher=PACE|date=2007-04-19|language=English] however following the president's intervention in the operation of the Constitutional Court the court has not ruled on the constitutionality of the president's decree. cite web|url=http://www.ukranews.com/eng/article/56286.html|title=Constitutional Court Judge Havrysh Doubts Constitutional Court Will Consider Petition On Constitutionality Of September 30 Rada Elections |publisher=Ukrainian News agency|date=2007-07-24|language=English] [cite web|url=http://en.for-ua.com/news/2007/08/03/161518.html|title=Lavrynovych: Early elections should have been already recognized invalid today|publisher= Inter-Media, ForUm|date=2007-08-03|language=English] [cite web|url=http://www.pravda.com.ua/en/news/2007/7/20/8377.htm|title=Stanik Back Into the CC|accessdate=2006-07-20|language=English] [cite web|url=http://www.eng.for-ua.com/news/2007/05/03/103007.html|title=Yushchenko dismissed CCU judges|accessdate=2006-05-17|work=for-ua|language=English] cite news|url=http://www.korrespondent.net/main/190075|title=Stanik and Pshenychnyy returned to CC|date=2007-05-17|publisher=Korrespondent] [cite web|url=http://www.eng.for-ua.com/news/2007/05/03/103007.html|title=Yushchenko dismissed CCU judges|accessdate=2006-05-17|work=for-ua|language=English] [cite web|url=http://www.ukranews.com/eng/article/112528.html|title=Supreme Court Restores Stanik As Constitutional Court Judge|publisher=Ukrainian News agency|date=2008-03-27|language=English]

The election was originally scheduled to be held on May 27, 2007 and later postponed to June 24, 2007. On May 27, 2007 An agreement was signed by the President of Ukraine, Viktor Yushchenko, Prime Minister, Viktor Yanukovych, and Parliamentary Speaker, Olexandr Moroz, scheduling the elections to be held on September 30, 2007. [cite news|url=http://en.for-ua.com/news/2007/05/29/101029.html|title=Ukraine leaders sign joint statement|publisher=ForUm|date=2007-05-29|language=English]

The President's previous decrees were revoked and a new decree based on the provisions of and of Ukraine's Constitution was issued in its place in August 2007 following the resignation of over 150 members of the opposition parties.

Results

The first polling places to open were at the Ukrainian embassies in Australia and Japan. Election districts were open from 7:00AM until 10:00PM local time. According to the Central Election Commission of Ukraine 63.22% of registered voters cast ballots. [cite news|url=http://pravda.com.ua/news/2007/10/1/64710.htm|publisher=Pravda|title=First CVK result|date=2007-10-01|accessdate=2007-10-01|language=Ukrainian] This easily exceeds the 50% participation required by Ukrainian law to make an election valid.

Five parties received the required minimum of 3% of the total vote and entered the Verkhovna Rada: Party of Regions (PoR),
Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko (BYuT), Our Ukraine-Peoples Self Defence (OU-PSD), the Communist Party of Ukraine (CPU) and the Bloc Lytvyn (BL). The Socialist Party of Ukraine (SPU) got 2,86% of the vote and no seats in parliament. Had SPU received an additional 0.14% of the vote the overall resuls would have been more or less the same as the previous Ukrainian parliamentary election in 2006.

Election results by parties and blocs

There were 20 parties and blocs registered on the voting ballot. One more electoral bloc PORA-Reforms and Order was participating in early election procedures but was subsequently removed by CVK as result of court decision. [cite web|url=http://www.cvk.gov.ua/postanovy/2007/p0307_2007.htm|title=Regulation №307|publisher=Central Election Commission of Ukraine|date=2007-09-04|language=Ukrainian] Number 17 assigned initially to this bloc was removed from the ballot paper.

upport of leading parties and blocs by administrative regions

Format of ruling coalition

Following the announcement of preliminary election results, the parties expressed their position on forming the coalition. The Party of Regions announced itself a winner of the election and stated that it started negotiations on forming a ruling coalition. The party did not express the desire to be in opposition. Tymoshenko's Bloc is advocating a coalition with Our Ukraine and possibly Lytvyn's Bloc. Yulia Tymoshenko is strongly against any coalition with the Party of Regions or the Communists. She has stated that her Bloc would be in opposition should such a coalition be formed. President Yushchenko has expressed the need for a better relationship between coalition and opposition. This should be achieved by providing the opposition with posts in the parliament and the government. Lytvyn's Bloc has received proposals from all top parties on forming a coalition. Leaders of the Bloc have stated that their decision will be made at the party's assembly.

Yulia Tymoshenko, following the formation of a coalition between the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc and Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc was subsequently elected prime-minster on December 18, 2007. Her candidacy was supported by the vote of 226 deputies. [cite news|title=Parliament named Tymoshenko as the Prime Minister of Ukraine|url=http://korrespondent.net/ukraine/politics/319536|work=Korrespondent|date=December 18, 2007|accessdate=2007-12-18|language=Russian]

By law, the parliament requires two thirds of deputies to be active. This means that if any of the two largest parties walk away, the parliament would become illegitimate.

Oleksandr Moroz, the leader of the Socialist Party of Ukraine, acknowledged his defeat on 4 October 2007 and supported Tymoshenko's bid for premiership.cite news|url=http://www2.pravda.com.ua/en/news/2007/10/4/9121.htm|title=Moroz Recognizes Defeat and Stands for Tymoshenko’s Premiership|first=Halyna|last=Bondaruk|publisher=Ukrayinska Pravda|date=2007-10-04]

International observers

3354 international observers were officially registered to monitor the conduct of the election.cite web|url=http://www.cvk.gov.ua/vnd2007/w6p041pt001f01=600.html|title=International observers|publisher=Central Election Commission of Ukraine|date=2007-10-17] Representatives of the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and Fair Election organization registered officials with the Central Elections Committee. The OSCE closely worked with Ukrainian officials in the design, administration, and conduct of the election.

Observers declared that elections generally met international standards for democratic elections. However they noted:cite web|url=http://www.csce.gov/index.cfm?Fuseaction=UserGroups.Home&ContentRecord_id=131&ContentType=G|title=Ukraine’s Pre-Term Parliamentary Elections and Demonstrable Commitment to Democratic Standards focus of Commission Initiatives|publisher=Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe|date=2007-12-06] cite web|url=http://www.osce.org/documents/odihr/2007/12/29054_en.pdf|format=PDF|title=OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission Report|publisher=Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe|date=2007-12-20] cite web|url=http://enemo.eu/press/Ukraine2007_final_report_ENG.pdf|title=Final report on 2007 parliamentary elections in Ukraine|publisher=European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations]
* delays in the formation of district and precinct election commissions
* the inadequate quality of voter lists
* possible disenfranchisement of voters due to law amendments on:
** abolishment of absentee ballots
** removing from lists voters who have crossed the state border after 1 August 2007.
** modalities for voting at home
* extensive campaigning by state and local officials from all sides in violation of law.

Exit polls

Election time line

* August 2 - Commencement of Official Campaign
* August 3 - The Central Election Commission of Ukraine (CVK) is to make decision about giving an airtime for blocs and parties at the budget expense
* August 4 - The CVK must hold a draw to establish broadcast priorities; Deadline for setting of the ballot’s form and text
* August 14 - The CVK has to prepare information placards of election participants and send them to district election commissions
* August 22 - Ballots papers to be submitted for printing
* August 24 - Close of Registration by Foreign Observers
* August 25 - Close of Party List nominations; State television and radio broadcasters should submit a schedule of parties and bloc’s commercial
* August 28 - CVK verification of nominations finalized
* August 30 - Party and Block registration documentation deadline; Close of registration for civil organizations to petition for participation of official observers
* September 2 - Official publication of Election List
* September 26 - Border Services to submit list of Ukrainian Citizens who have left the country and have not returned
* September 30 - Parliamentary Elections
* October 15 - Preliminary announcement of election results
* October 20 - Official final announcement of election results

Registered parties and blocs

"Number in parentheses is the number of candidates the said party put forth to get into the Verkhovna Rada. Parties or blocs which have obtained at least 3% of the vote are in bold."

*Communist Party of Ukraine (444)
*Party of Regions (450)
*Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine (403)
*Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc (401)
*All-Ukrainian Union "Freedom" (351)
*Lytvyn's Bloc (260)
*Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc (447)
*Socialist Party of Ukraine (282)
*All-Ukrainian Party of People's Trust (86)
*Party of National Economic Development of Ukraine (136)
*Bloc "All-Ukrainian Community" (103)
*Electoral bloc of Liudmyla Suprun – Ukrainian Regional Asset (387)
*Party of Free Democrats (85)
*Communist Party of Ukraine (renewed) (41)
*Peasant's Bloc "Agricultural Ukraine" (136)
*Party of Greens of Ukraine (147)
*Ukrainian People's Bloc (213)
*Electoral bloc of political parties "KUCHMA" (168)
*Bloc of Party of Pensioners of Ukraine (92)
*Christian's Bloc (225)

References

External links

* [http://www.cvk.gov.ua/vnd2007/w6p001e.html Ukrainian parliamentary election, 2007] – Central Election Commission of Ukraine
* [http://www.exitpoll.org.ua/en/ Exit poll 2007]