Calls for Ukraine's President to resign
Victor Yushenko should quit the Our Ukraine party and govern for all Ukraine
As the results of the election are being finalized negotiations and political gamesmanship is under way to decide who will govern Ukraine with speculation rife as to who will do a deal with who and what is at stake for each of the five parties that have won parliamentary seats as they formulate bids.
Behind all the negotiations is the theoretical Trump Card held by the President.
Parliament must meet within two weeks of the official declaration of the election results.
Under Ukraine's constitution the President has the power to sack the newly elected government if a coalition representing a majority of the Parliament can not be formed within one month of the Parliament meeting.
Whilst we would consider it unlikely and unwise for the President to use his trump card it never the less is in the back of the mind of all players as negotiations evolve. If the President plays his constitutional hand then Ukraine would be thrown into political and economic uncertainly. At risk is a political backlash that the President can ill-afford and should not gamble on the outcome.
The President's Party, Our Ukraine, received less then 14% of voters support. This is of little comfort to the President as his party is now seen as a minor player in any future coalition even though they might hold the key to the outcome.
PRESIDENT SHOULD GOVERN FOR ALL UKRAINE
The President can not dismiss or distance himself from Our Ukraine's poor election result, Yushchenko himself played a key role during the election in the Our Ukraine's campaign, His name even formed part of the promotional material and Our Ukraine and Yushchenko were seen as one. The fact that Our Ukraine received just over 1/2 the votes of Yulia Tymoshenko (23%) and a third of his rival Party of Regions seriously undermines the President's political position and his international standing.
If Viktor Yushchenko wants to regain public support and respect he must now consider further his own position and resign from the Our Ukraine party and remain as an independent President responsible for governing all for all and not just the 14% of Ukrainians that voted for Our Ukraine.
COALITION AGREEMENTS
Any discussion that forms part of a coalition agreement MUST insist that the President refrain from Party Politics and as such must resign from Our Ukraine.
It is a common position for a head of State to be distant from the dayly throws of political bantering. Yushchenko and his supporters would significantly benefit from such a move and as would any Political agreement to form a working coalition.
Comments
As long as he continues to remain arrogant and behave like a dictator he will never be a true statesman or coach or mentor.
He. himself, has a lot of learning to do.
By resigning from Our Ukraine he would make an important and significant step towards building a solid foundation of democracy and a united team.
Until then he is only going to be a divisive player in a constitutional game of brinkmanship without real skill or understanding of the realities he faces.
He needs to ask himself how best can he serve his country and its constitution as opposed to playing party politics.
A head of state in a parliamentary democracy has a different role to a presidential dictator. He is no longer the political leader of a nation but the guardian of democracy and law.
Welcome to a real democracy where the peoples parliamentary representatives govern. In the end Ukraine will be the better.