So, it has happened. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Thursday, November 17 adopted as a whole the law on parliamentary elections with 366 votes in favor.
According to the new law, people's deputies are elected under a mixed system - 225 deputies of the Ukrainian parliament are elected under a proportional representation system in a national multi-member constituency, and another 225 deputies are elected in majority constituencies.
The election campaign starts 90 days before the day of voting. The participation of blocs of political parties is banned. The passing barrier for political parties and deputies from majority constituencies is 5%.
The expenses for preparation and holding of parliamentary elections are financed by the state budget, as well as by parties and candidates, which are obliged to form their election funds. A candidate can be nominated simultaneously under a party list and under constituencies.
Can this law be considered a compromise, or it is a jump into the past, taking into account the fact that in 1998 the parliament was elected under the mixed system?
Vadym Kolesnichenko, MP, Party of Regions faction:
- I believe the adoption of the new law on parliamentary elections is one step forward. The law takes into account the interests of the majority of the population, which wants to see a concrete deputy from its district in the parliament.
I don't rule out that this law is a transitional variant, and the next parliament will improve it and introduce some amendments. In general, this law increasingly meets the interests of the society.
5% passing barrier is a European norm, which will bring strong and respected parties in the parliament.
In addition, the new law provides for self-nomination. Hence, any citizen of Ukraine can run for parliament.
Taras Chornovil, non-faction MP, member of the parliamentary group "Reforms and order":
- In general, this is a step back. But taking into account the regress of the country for the last years under the proportional system, I would say we have made a certain progress.
I would divide this law into two constituents: political procedure and political system.
As for the political procedure, it is written well enough to hold fair elections.
As for the political system, I would point out three most important constituents.
Prohibition for blocs to take part in the elections. I always stood for merging after the elections to prevent bribing.
5% passing barrier. This barrier is not a threat as it is, but in our country people vote for political leaders, not for ideology of a party. Hence, with the increase of the passing barrier we close doors for new ideological political forces and conserve the current situation in the parliament. I believe 5% passing barrier is too earlier for Ukraine.
Mixed system 50x50. It is not perfect comparing to the system with open lists of candidates, but anyway it is better than the current proportional one, which brought waitress, drivers and others in the parliament.
Andriy Parubiy, MP, Our Ukraine faction:
- I think this law is regress, as it repeats the electoral forms Ukraine has already passed. On one hand it is closed party lists, which the society is sick and tired of, and on the other hand it is majoritarian districts, which will be bought by oligarchs.
I believe that open regional lists is the best system for Ukraine. But the adopted law is a technology to form the majority of the ruling party.
I was surprised by the result of the vote. I still don't understand why the oppositional deputies voted for this law together with the Party of Regions. Their argument 'it was a compromise' is not convincing.
Speaking about the composition of the future parliament, well, it depends on the opposition. The only thing to do is to coordinate actions and to nominate approved candidates from every district. This is the only chance for victory.
Petro Symonenko, leader of the Communist faction:
- 20 years of independence have proved that no mater what law they adopt capitalism will still deform citizens' conscious and falsify their expression of will.
All these years prove that Ukraine has not come closer to democracy, but is moving towards dictatorship of criminal capital.
People's will cannot be heard, as it is initially falsified with bought places in party lists, with bribing the members of election commissions and with many other metods.
During Soviet times it was impossible to even imagine such shame we are observing now during the elections.
We must understand that only the change of the political system can give an opportunity to realize laws. Current legislation is a protecting cover for interests of big capital.
Oleh Zarubinski, MP from People's party, head of the parliamentary committee on human rights:
- Statements on the new law are based not on some political analysis, but on self-interest of this or that political force.
Those, who don't see chances to get to the parliament, criticize the law, while those who feel strong praise it.
In the given situation I consider the law as a compromise of 366 deputies, for whom this law is an instrument to get power.
Basing on the previous experience, namely the parliaments of III and IV convocations, the mixed electoral system brings deputies of better quality than those elected on proportional system. Hence, speculations on 'back to the future or forward to the past' are just verbal equilibristics.
Volodymyr Tsybulko, expert-political scientists:
- A compromise has been finally reached, and too fast if you ask me. Some experts are simply confused. The new law was adopted almost unanimously, which leads to a thought on that all this process was a casting for seats in the confidant opposition of the next convocation.
The adopted law simply establishes electoral status-quo. In other words, on the eve of the Ukraine-EU summit MPs signed a kind of non-aggression pact.
According to the new law, people's deputies are elected under a mixed system - 225 deputies of the Ukrainian parliament are elected under a proportional representation system in a national multi-member constituency, and another 225 deputies are elected in majority constituencies.
The election campaign starts 90 days before the day of voting. The participation of blocs of political parties is banned. The passing barrier for political parties and deputies from majority constituencies is 5%.
The expenses for preparation and holding of parliamentary elections are financed by the state budget, as well as by parties and candidates, which are obliged to form their election funds. A candidate can be nominated simultaneously under a party list and under constituencies.
Can this law be considered a compromise, or it is a jump into the past, taking into account the fact that in 1998 the parliament was elected under the mixed system?
Vadym Kolesnichenko, MP, Party of Regions faction:
- I believe the adoption of the new law on parliamentary elections is one step forward. The law takes into account the interests of the majority of the population, which wants to see a concrete deputy from its district in the parliament.
I don't rule out that this law is a transitional variant, and the next parliament will improve it and introduce some amendments. In general, this law increasingly meets the interests of the society.
5% passing barrier is a European norm, which will bring strong and respected parties in the parliament.
In addition, the new law provides for self-nomination. Hence, any citizen of Ukraine can run for parliament.
Taras Chornovil, non-faction MP, member of the parliamentary group "Reforms and order":
- In general, this is a step back. But taking into account the regress of the country for the last years under the proportional system, I would say we have made a certain progress.
I would divide this law into two constituents: political procedure and political system.
As for the political procedure, it is written well enough to hold fair elections.
As for the political system, I would point out three most important constituents.
Prohibition for blocs to take part in the elections. I always stood for merging after the elections to prevent bribing.
5% passing barrier. This barrier is not a threat as it is, but in our country people vote for political leaders, not for ideology of a party. Hence, with the increase of the passing barrier we close doors for new ideological political forces and conserve the current situation in the parliament. I believe 5% passing barrier is too earlier for Ukraine.
Mixed system 50x50. It is not perfect comparing to the system with open lists of candidates, but anyway it is better than the current proportional one, which brought waitress, drivers and others in the parliament.
Andriy Parubiy, MP, Our Ukraine faction:
- I think this law is regress, as it repeats the electoral forms Ukraine has already passed. On one hand it is closed party lists, which the society is sick and tired of, and on the other hand it is majoritarian districts, which will be bought by oligarchs.
I believe that open regional lists is the best system for Ukraine. But the adopted law is a technology to form the majority of the ruling party.
I was surprised by the result of the vote. I still don't understand why the oppositional deputies voted for this law together with the Party of Regions. Their argument 'it was a compromise' is not convincing.
Speaking about the composition of the future parliament, well, it depends on the opposition. The only thing to do is to coordinate actions and to nominate approved candidates from every district. This is the only chance for victory.
Petro Symonenko, leader of the Communist faction:
- 20 years of independence have proved that no mater what law they adopt capitalism will still deform citizens' conscious and falsify their expression of will.
All these years prove that Ukraine has not come closer to democracy, but is moving towards dictatorship of criminal capital.
People's will cannot be heard, as it is initially falsified with bought places in party lists, with bribing the members of election commissions and with many other metods.
During Soviet times it was impossible to even imagine such shame we are observing now during the elections.
We must understand that only the change of the political system can give an opportunity to realize laws. Current legislation is a protecting cover for interests of big capital.
Oleh Zarubinski, MP from People's party, head of the parliamentary committee on human rights:
- Statements on the new law are based not on some political analysis, but on self-interest of this or that political force.
Those, who don't see chances to get to the parliament, criticize the law, while those who feel strong praise it.
In the given situation I consider the law as a compromise of 366 deputies, for whom this law is an instrument to get power.
Basing on the previous experience, namely the parliaments of III and IV convocations, the mixed electoral system brings deputies of better quality than those elected on proportional system. Hence, speculations on 'back to the future or forward to the past' are just verbal equilibristics.
Volodymyr Tsybulko, expert-political scientists:
- A compromise has been finally reached, and too fast if you ask me. Some experts are simply confused. The new law was adopted almost unanimously, which leads to a thought on that all this process was a casting for seats in the confidant opposition of the next convocation.
The adopted law simply establishes electoral status-quo. In other words, on the eve of the Ukraine-EU summit MPs signed a kind of non-aggression pact.
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