Ukraine – Parliament changes constitution and sets election dates

With Ukraine’s rather bizarre return to its 1996 constitution, one of the issues left in the air was the schedule for parliamentary elections. The last elections were held in September 2007. Under the 2004 amended constitution, parliament’s term was five years, whereas under the 1996 constitution the term was four years. So, when should elections be held?

Kyiv Post is reporting that parliament has now passed a constitutional amendment setting election dates. This what the report states: “The draft law envisages that the president of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada, the Supreme Council of Crimea, deputies of local councils of all levels, and village, town, city heads are elected for five years. The bill also proposes holding regular presidential elections on the last Sunday of March of the fifth year of the president’s term, the parliamentary elections on the last Sunday of October of the fifth year of the parliament’s term, and the local elections on the last Sunday of October of the fifth year of the terms of deputies of local councils of all levels and village, town, city heads.”

What this means is that the next parliamentary elections will be held in October 2012. Constitutionally, this reform has to be approved in two consecutive sessions of parliament. So, the bill will not become law until it is passed again in the next session which begins in February. However, it does look as if one of the ambiguities of the return to the 1996 version of the constitution has been resolved.

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