Ukraine Today - An Independent Political Review

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 ...

Ukraine's President Viktor Yanukovych has accepted Syuzanna Stanik's resignation from the Constitutional Court one day following her reappointment .  The reasons and details of Stanik's decision to resign have not been made public. Her resignation avoid the messy need to cancel or reorganise the Courts membership which was over quota as a result of Stanik's reappointment.   The questions surrounding Yushchenko's allegation still remain unanswered  If Stanik has a case to answer then she should face prosecution, if on the other hand she is innocent then Yushchenko should be held account for his actions back in 2007 when he summarily dismissed three Constitutional Court Judges in order to prevent the court from ruling against his decree dismissing Ukraine's previous Parliament.  the truth of this matter may never be known.

Ukraine's President, Viktor Yanukovych , has passed a decree reinstating the appointment of Ms Susan Stanik to Ukraine's Constitutional Court. Yanukovych's decree re-instating Ms Stanik to the bench has righted a wrong and injustice undertaken by Ukraine's former president. Update: Stanik resigns . Ms  Stanik along with two other judges were summarily dismissed by Ukraine's former President, Viktor Yushchenko, in May 2007.  The actions of  Yushchenko were designed to prevent the Constitutional Court from ruling against his decree of April 2, 2007 dismissing Ukraine's previous Parliament. Yushchenko's dismissal of the three Judges was in direct breach of Ukraine's Constitution in that by dismissing the three judges Yushchenko had interfered with the independence of Ukraine's Judiciary. Viktor Yushchenko as President had no authority to dismiss members of the Constitutional Court. Yushchenko speciously alleged at the time that the judge...

The latest Public Opinion poll conducted by Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) lists Ukraine's former President, Viktor Yushchenko, with less then 1.6% support.  If fresh parliamentary elections were held Yushchenko's Our Ukraine would lose representation in Ukraine's parliament. If the results of the poll were translated into parliamentary seats only five parties representing 64.7% of the electorate would cross the 3% representation threshold.  - Party of Regions would win an absolute majority with 253 seats and a constitutional majority (>300) with the support of  Sergei Tigipko's Strong Ukraine . Yulia Tymoshenko would win only 95 seats, Arsenyi Yatsenyuk 30 and the Communist Party of Ukraine 21 seats. Parliamentary speaker Volodymir Lytvyn would lose representation along with Yushchenko's Our Ukraine . Over 13% of the electorate are undecided. Party Leader Percentage Seats Party of Regions Viktor Yanukovych ...