An early parliamentary election is an “extreme measure but the Ukrainian national interest demands it,” Victor Yushchenko wrote in an article published on Wednesday in the Financial Times , Le Figaro , Rzeczpospolita and Corriere della Sera, President’s press office informs.

The ultimate responsibility of my office is to uphold the constitution and ensure that political affairs are conducted in accordance with its principles. That has always been my overriding priority because Ukraine’s acceptance as a normal European democracy depends on it. It is essential to the realisation of our most important national goals.

Ukraine’s young democracy today faces a new and dangerous challenge: one that requires a firm and immediate response. It comes from a ruling coalition that has exceeded its mandate and attempted to monopolise political power, even at the cost of violating the constitution and ignoring the democratically expressed wishes of the Ukrainian people.

Since the new government was formed last summer, I have repeatedly tried to persuade Prime Minister Yanukovych to govern in a spirit of national unity and reconciliation. Instead, the ruling coalition has waged a relentless campaign to overturn both the constitutional balance of power and the results of the last parliamentary elections.

This situation cannot be allowed to persist. We cannot build a successful democratic society if powerful elements within it are unwilling to respect the rules and accept the will of the people. That is why I have been left with no choice but to dissolve parliament and call a fresh round of parliamentary elections for 27th May. It is an extreme measure, but I am also clear that the Ukrainian national interest demands it.

In a democracy, the people must always be the final arbiters of power. It is from them alone that we derive the authority to govern. It is to them that we must now turn in order to resolve this political crisis. Only by trusting in the wisdom of the Ukrainian people can we break this political deadlock and create the national consensus necessary for our country to move forward again.

I make no apologies for trying to reach a broad political understanding in the difficult circumstances created by last year’s parliamentary elections. As President, I saw it as my duty to put the long-term interests of Ukraine before personal preference or partisan advantage. I considered it an important test of our political maturity and our ability to complete the process of democratic normalisation.

It is quite common in advanced democratic societies for elections to produce results that oblige political opponents to govern in partnership. Germany today is governed by a “grand coalition” of left and right. France has experienced occasional periods of “cohabitation”. The American constitution seems to invite it, with the White House and Congress occupied by different political parties more often than not.

In spite of this, these societies remain stable, prosperous and well governed. The reason for this is simple. In each case, the political elites understand that there is something more important at stake than the pursuit of political power. Respecting the wishes of their voters, they seek to share power in the national interest.

Of course, ideas and policies are contested and debated, often in very robust terms. But all sides observe limits in order to prevent political competition from damaging the fabric of democratic life. When that becomes a risk, they choose compromise instead of confrontation. Above all, they respect their own constitutions and maintain the checks and balances that are essential to prevent monopolistic abuses of power.

It was in that spirit that I reached out to Viktor Yanukovych after it became clear that the Orange parties would not be able to form a majority coalition last summer. After everything that had passed before, no one should be in any doubt that it was a very difficult personal decision to make. But it was also one that I firmly believed to be in Ukraine’s best interests.

As part of that process I negotiated a Declaration of National Unity in order to bind President and Government to a common platform setting out coherent and realisable goals in line with the wishes and aspirations of the Ukrainian people. It was on the basis of that historic compromise that I hoped to consolidate Ukraine’s democratic transformation and lay the foundations for a new era of stability and progress.

It is with great regret that I have to say that the spirit of reconciliation and compromise required to make that arrangement a success has not been reciprocated by the ruling coalition. On the contrary, they have consistently acted in bad faith and in ways that have been profoundly damaging to Ukraine’s political development.

Instead of respecting the agreement to share power, they have sought to undermine it by grabbing more power for themselves at every opportunity and with every means available. Instead of respecting the wishes of the Ukrainian people expressed freely at the ballot box, they have used subterfuge to alter the parliamentary balance in an entirely undemocratic manner. Instead of keeping political competition within legitimate boundaries, they have trampled on the constitution in their rush to undermine their opponents and monopolise control.

These are not the actions of responsible democrats. They reflect attitudes and behaviour that the Ukrainian people had every reason to believe had been consigned to our past.

For me, this is a matter of supreme national importance. If Ukraine is to be recognised as an integral part of the community of European democracies, it is imperative that this crisis is resolved in line with our own constitutional principles. How can we be trusted to respect the rule of international law if we cannot respect the rule of law at home?

I hope that Mr Yanukovych will come to see that new elections are the only appropriate way to resolve this crisis. Genuine democrats should never fear the verdict of the people. Only those who remain stubbornly attached to the old ways should want our political future to be decided by intrigues and backroom deals. Ukraine needs to show that it has left all that behind.

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