BYuT UKRAINE
GOVERNMENT PORTAL
INFORM NEWSLETTER
Clock ticking on formation of new coalition
18 September 2008
Published in
Inform
issue #85
See the full issue here.
The clock is now ticking for Ukraine’s parliamentary factions to form a new coalition government following President Viktor Yushchenko’s official confirmation yesterday that his party has quit the democratic coalition.
The Chairman of Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada (parliament), Arseniy Yatsenyuk, described the collapse of the coalition as "long expected, but extremely sad."
The event that triggered the president to withdraw his Our Ukraine-People’s Self-Defence (OU-PSD) bloc from the 9-month old coalition, was when lawmakers from the Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko (BYuT) voted with the Opposition, on 2 September, to pass laws that prevent the president from using decrees (and resolutions from the National Security Defence Council) to thwart the work of parliament. For months the president has paralysed the government, blocking its privatisation legislation, antiinflation plans and anti-corruption measures. During this time, the Chief of Staff of his Secretariat, Viktor Baloha, has waged a tireless vendetta aimed at discrediting the premier ahead of the 2010 presidential elections (see page 2 ‘Poison Investigation Takes Sinister Turn’).
The events of 2 September also initiated a clear process for presidential impeachment – a right enjoyed by every democratic parliamentary republic. The president saw this as a personal attack and the next day served notice on the coalition. Not everyone in his bloc agreed with him. Interior Minister Yuriy Lutsenko (leader of the People’s Self-Defence faction within OU-PSD), former foreign affairs minister Borys Tasrasyuk, and former defence minister Anatoliy Hrytsenko voted with others to stay in the coalition. But their protest was in vain as yesterday the coalition finally collapsed.
See the full issue here.
The clock is now ticking for Ukraine’s parliamentary factions to form a new coalition government following President Viktor Yushchenko’s official confirmation yesterday that his party has quit the democratic coalition.
The Chairman of Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada (parliament), Arseniy Yatsenyuk, described the collapse of the coalition as "long expected, but extremely sad."
The event that triggered the president to withdraw his Our Ukraine-People’s Self-Defence (OU-PSD) bloc from the 9-month old coalition, was when lawmakers from the Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko (BYuT) voted with the Opposition, on 2 September, to pass laws that prevent the president from using decrees (and resolutions from the National Security Defence Council) to thwart the work of parliament. For months the president has paralysed the government, blocking its privatisation legislation, antiinflation plans and anti-corruption measures. During this time, the Chief of Staff of his Secretariat, Viktor Baloha, has waged a tireless vendetta aimed at discrediting the premier ahead of the 2010 presidential elections (see page 2 ‘Poison Investigation Takes Sinister Turn’).
The events of 2 September also initiated a clear process for presidential impeachment – a right enjoyed by every democratic parliamentary republic. The president saw this as a personal attack and the next day served notice on the coalition. Not everyone in his bloc agreed with him. Interior Minister Yuriy Lutsenko (leader of the People’s Self-Defence faction within OU-PSD), former foreign affairs minister Borys Tasrasyuk, and former defence minister Anatoliy Hrytsenko voted with others to stay in the coalition. But their protest was in vain as yesterday the coalition finally collapsed.
What Happens Now?
Talks with the various parties on forming a new coalition government will be ratcheted up over the coming days. If there is no new coalition in 30-days time, then the president has the right, if he decides to use it, to call a pre-term parliamentary election. An election would be preceded by a three-month campaign with a polling date likely to be in January 2009. After an election, parliamentarians have a month to form a coalition and a further month to form a government. Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko expressed that she wanted to have a coalition with OU-PSD and the centrist Lytvyn bloc. But talks are underway with all the factions including the Party of Regions.
In the meantime, Ms Tymoshenko said she would stay on as prime minister. “Today's political events were not very pleasant. But I want to assure you that the government will operate for a lengthy time and operate successfully," she said.
Talks with the various parties on forming a new coalition government will be ratcheted up over the coming days. If there is no new coalition in 30-days time, then the president has the right, if he decides to use it, to call a pre-term parliamentary election. An election would be preceded by a three-month campaign with a polling date likely to be in January 2009. After an election, parliamentarians have a month to form a coalition and a further month to form a government. Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko expressed that she wanted to have a coalition with OU-PSD and the centrist Lytvyn bloc. But talks are underway with all the factions including the Party of Regions.
In the meantime, Ms Tymoshenko said she would stay on as prime minister. “Today's political events were not very pleasant. But I want to assure you that the government will operate for a lengthy time and operate successfully," she said.