Ukraine – About to abandon SP?

Ukrainian Journal suggests that Ukraine may be about to abandon semi-presidentialism.

Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s party and the Regions Party of Viktor Yanukovych have been in discussion about constitutional reforms. The report in Ukrainian Journal says that 90% of issues have been agreed between the two parties. However, the crucial issue of whether the president should be directly elected or elected by parliament remains outstanding.

A clue as to what the final decision might be is contained in the article, which reports an opinion poll that indicated both Tymoshenko and Yanukovych would be defeated in a presidential election run-off by Arseniy Yatseniuk, who was dismissed as the Speaker of parliament in November 2008 and who is supposedly about to form his own party. Were the president to be elected by parliament, then it would be easier for Tymoshenko and Yanukovych to agree a deal. Currently, they have the support of slightly more than 300 of the 450 seats in the Rada. A constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds majority.

The negotiations between the Tymoshenko bloc and the Regions Party do not appear to be involving President Yushchenko or his party. Bear in mind that the Regions Party is, officially, an opposition party and that Yulia Tymoshenko is in coalition with some of the supporters of President Yushchenko. So, the situation is complex and wonderfully machiavellian.

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