Ukraine Today - An Independent Political Review

President Viktor Yanukovych (second from left) shakes hands in this Aug. 17 photograph with close ally Volodymyr Kolesnichenko, head of Ukraine’s High Council of Justice, which appoints judges. Anatoly Golovin, also a close presidential ally who heads Ukraine’s Constitutional Court, is at left. Oleksandr Pasaniuk, head of the High Administrative Court, is at right. All three are recent appointees. (Mykhailo Markiv) Stacked Justice Source: Kyiv Post - Graham Stack, Peter Byrne and Yuriy Onyshkiv Ukrainians will almost certainly get major changes to the Constitution, whether they like it or not. To change the Constitution in a way that gives him and future presidents more power, President Viktor Yanukovych will benefit greatly from a friendly Constitutional Court that ratifies any new document. But have his supporters stacked the 18-member judicial body with Party of Regions supporters to ensure that the court sanctions ...

Ukraine's Constitutional Court will commence consideration of what will be one its most significant decisions in Ukraine's history. It will decide if Ukraine winds back the clock and restore a presidential autocratic state. One of the main outcomes of the 2004 "Orange Revolution" was Constitutional reform negotiated as part of a settlement of the civil unrest and crisis facing Ukraine. The constitutional changes saw Ukraine remove power from the central presidential authority and shift more towards a European style Parliamentary democracy. The Presidential system of authority has been the main problem facing Ukraine's development since its declaration of independence. Unlike other former soviet states such as Estonia and Latvia Ukraine did not adopt a parliamentary model of governance. It instead kept the soviet/US style presidential system. A system that has consistently failed Ukraine. In order to understand Ukraine;'s current situation you need ...

Ukraine has to a degree restored  political stability following the defeat and ousting of Victor Yushchenko. With this change has also come a change in political direction. In 2008/9 Ukraine was in debate and discussion as to how Ukraine would be best served by implementing Constitutional reform. There was at the time concern about the then pending Presidential election. One proposal was to remove power from the President and let Ukraine's head of state by a constitutional Two-thirds majority parliamentary vote as is the case in Estonia, Latvia and Moldavia. The discussions and proposals were derailed primarily by the President Viktor Yushchenko who's on standing in Ukraine had collapsed from a high of 52% in 2004 to less then 5% (below below 2%). Ukraine as a result retained the presidential system and spent over 200 million dollars in conducting a Presidential election which was held in January/February this year. Soon after taking Office Ukraine's newly electe...

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, on the eve of the anniversary of US independence, preaches to the Students at the Kyiv Polytechnic University. YouTube video of Clinton's townhall meeting in Kyiv. Transcript of remarks following meeting with Yanukovych

Our Ukraine - Peoples Self Defence (NUNS) to be dissolved following the demise of Yushchenko's leadership. Ukrainian News has been reporting large number of defections from their Parliamentary representatives to the governing coalition camp prompting a call for the parliamentary faction to be dissolved. If NUNS does dissolve, as expected, it will raise further concerns about Ukraine's Constitutional 'Imperative mandate' provisions (Article 81) which require members of parliament to remain a member of the parliamentary faction that appointed them. If the faction ceases to exist the provisions of Article 81 also fall. What impact this could have on the Constitutional validity of the current parliament is uncertain. The Constitutional Court having had a bet each way in its recent past rulings. Update. National Radio Ukraine is reporting the formal dissolution of the NUNS faction. This recent announcement could give rise for Yanukovych to call fro fresh parlia...

A public opinion poll published by Research and Branding shows Yulia Tymoshenko sliding down to third place with Yanukovych remaining preferred President.  100 Days into the term of the new president Yanukovych remains in the lead with 45.5% support followed by Sergie Tipikpko on 13.0% and Tymoshenko with just over 10%. Ex-President Viktor Yushchenko does not even get a mention with all other possible contenders rating less the 5%. Whilst a majority of Ukrainians are not happy with their life style or the state of the economy most Ukrainians generally support the new government on 45% approval and 40% disapprove, compared to the oppositions ratings of 12.6% approval to just over 70% disapproval. The prime-minister Mykola Azarov has a 48.4% approval rating against Tymoshenko's 18.8%. If Parliamentary elections were held this weekend Party of Regions would be elected to office with an absolute majority. Party/Bloc Percentage Seats Party of Regions ...

Britain faces a hung parliament as Ukraine looks on. Results of the 2010 British Parliament The Conservative Part received the 36.1% Labour 29.2% and the Liberal Democratic Party close behind in third place with 22% Under Britain's discredited first-past-the post single member electorates system the part with then highest vote wins the seat. But the distribution of representative seats is not proportional. Electoral reform will be high on the British agenda with a push for the adoption of a preferential proportional representation system along the line of other European states. The changes in Britain are a lesson and a warning to Ukraine to not adopt a first-past-the-post system. National Results after 649 of 650 UK - National seats at a glance Prediction 326 to win Political Party Seats Change Conservative ...