Next Ukrainian parliamentary election
According to the Constitution of Ukraine, the next Ukrainian parliamentary election should be held on the last Sunday of October of the fifth year of authority of the parliament, if snap elections are not held.[2] However, the status of the election is uncertain due to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine and the legislative prohibition to conduct elections in the times of martial law.[3] The previous parliamentary election in Ukraine was held on 21 July 2019.[4] On 17 August 2023, martial law was extended for a further 90 days until 15 November 2023, which means the election cannot take place on 29 October 2023 as originally planned.[5] If conducted, the parliamentary elections will be the second since 1918 when elections were held in war conditions.
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All 450 (possibly 300)[1] seats in the Verkhovna Rada 226 (possibly 151)[1] seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Background
The previous parliamentary elections in 2019 were snap ones, called in July instead of the regular constitutionally prescribed late October date. The first meeting of the elected deputies took place on 29 August 2019.[6] According to Article 77 of the Constitution, regular elections to the Verkhovna Rada take place on the last Sunday of October of the fifth year of parliamentary powers. Thus, the next regular parliamentary elections are due to take place on 29 October 2023.[2]
Ukrainian martial law does not allow the holding of elections while the state of martial law is in effect.[7] This provision is stated in Article 19 of the law adopted in 2015;[3] the same provision was stated in Article 19 of the previous law adopted in 2000.[8] Martial law in Ukraine is in effect since 24 February 2022, in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[9] According to Article 83 of the Constitution, if the five-year authority of the Verkhovna Rada expires while martial law is in effect, its authority is extended until the first meeting of Verkhovna Rada of next convocation elected after the cancellation of the state of martial law.[10]
In 2021, there were rumors that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would call for snap elections in 2021, but also that he could use a provision to "collide" parliament's term with the 2024 Ukrainian presidential election.[11] On 22 June 2023, President Zelenskyy announced that the elections will not be held as scheduled in 2023 due to ongoing martial law, and will only be held in 2024 when the war, and martial law, is over.[12] On 17 August 2023, martial law was extended for a further 90 days until 15 November 2023, which means the election cannot take place on 29 October 2023 as originally planned.[5] A survey conducted by Razumkov Centre in September 2023 showed that only 15% of those surveyed supported holding elections during wartime, while 64% were against.[13]
Electoral system
On 1 January 2020 the latest revision of the electoral code of Ukraine took effect. It states that all deputies are elected on a party list in one nationwide constituency with a 5% election threshold with open regional lists of candidates for deputies.[14] The new election law abolishes the single-member constituency system used since the 2012 parliamentary election.[lower-alpha 1] Under the previous system, the 450 members of the Verkhovna Rada were elected by two methods; 225 by closed list proportional representation in a nationwide constituency with a 5% threshold, and 225 in single-member constituencies by first-past-the-post voting.[16]
On 4 February 2020 parliament approved in first reading (with 236 votes) a presidential bill to reduce the number of parliamentary deputies from 450 to 300.[1] To do so, the Ukrainian Constitution needs to be altered, and this will require at least 300 parliamentary votes.[1]
Parties
The table below lists parties currently represented in the Verkhovna Rada.[17]
Parties | Leader(s) | Parliamentary leader(s) |
Ideology | Position | Seats | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Last election | Before election | ||||||
Servant of the People | Olena Shuliak | Davyd Arakhamia | Centrism | Centre | 254 / 450 |
236 / 450 | |
Batkivshchyna | Yulia Tymoshenko | Conservatism | Centre-right | 26 / 450 |
24 / 450 | ||
European Solidarity | Petro Poroshenko | Iryna Herashchenko Artur Herasymov |
Liberal conservatism | Centre-right | 25 / 450 |
27 / 450 | |
Holos | Kira Rudyk | Oleksandra Ustinova | Liberalism | Centre-right | 20 / 450 |
20 / 450 | |
For the Future | Ihor Palytsia | Taras Batenko | Populism | Centre-right | Did not exist | 17 / 450 | |
Dovira | Olena Kyivets | Oleh Kulinich | Regionalism | Centre | Did not exist | 18 / 450 | |
Platform for Life and Peace | Yuriy Boyko | Social democracy[18] | Did not exist | 22 / 450 | |||
Restoration of Ukraine | Maxim Efimov | Did not exist | 17 / 450 |
Former party
Parties | Leader(s) | Parliamentary leader(s) |
Ideology | Position | Seats | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Last election | Before election | ||||||
Opposition Platform — For Life | Yuriy Boyko Vadim Rabinovich |
Russophilia | Centre | 43 / 450 |
Banned |
Suspended parties
Martial law in Ukraine was declared on 24 February 2022. On 15 March 2022 the Parliament deprived Opposition MP Illia Kyva of his mandate.[19]
On 20 March 2022, several political parties were suspended by the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine for the period of martial law:[20][21]
Opinion polls
![](../I/Opinion_polling_to_the_Rada_(2019-2023).png.webp)
Notes
References
- (in Ukrainian) The Verkhovna Rada has previously approved the reduction of the number of people's deputies to 300 and the transition to a proportional electoral system, Interfax-Ukraine (4 February 2020)
- (in Ukrainian) Constitution of Ukraine, with amendments, 3 September 2019
- (in Ukrainian) On the Legal Regime of Martial Law Law, Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, 2015
- Final Ukraine Election Results Confirm Zelenskiy Landslide, RFE/RL (26 July 2019)
- Stern, David L.; Ebel, Francesca (2023-08-17). "Zelensky extends martial law, casting doubt on fall parliamentary elections". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
- Rada’s solemn sitting takes place at VRU’s premises Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, 29 August 2019
- "No elections can be held in Ukraine while martial law in effect – National Security and Defence Council". Ukrainska Pravda. 16 May 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
- (in Ukrainian) On the Legal Regime of Martial Law Void Law, Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, 2000
- "Parliament extends martial law, general mobilization in Ukraine for another 90 days". Ukrinform. May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
- Constitution of Ukraine per Council of Europe website as accessed on 22 May 2023
- "Перевибори цієї осені чи проблема-2023? До чого готується Зеленський та опозиція". Hromadske.TV (in Ukrainian). 2 Aug 2021.
- "Ukraine to hold elections after war ends, says Zelenskyy". english.nv.ua. The New Voice of Ukraine. 22 June 2023. Archived from the original on 29 June 2023. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
- Центр, Разумков. "Оцінка громадянами ситуації в країні. Довіра до соціальних інститутів, політиків, посадовців та громадських діячів. Ставлення до проведення загальнонаціональних виборів в Україні до завершення війни (вересень 2023р.)". razumkov.org.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2023-10-18.
- Electoral Code becomes effective in Ukraine, Interfax-Ukraine (1 January 2020)
- Ukraine finally gets a new Election Code. It’s the first step to an effective political system Euromaidan Press, 12 July 2019
- Ukraine IFES
- "Офіційний портал Верховної Ради України". w1.c1.rada.gov.ua. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
- "Підтримують Зеленського і курс на ЄС та планують ребрендинг: як живе ОПЗЖ після розколу і заборони?". www.radiosvoboda.org. Retrieved 2023-09-02.
- "Kyva is no longer a People's Deputy". Українська правда (in Ukrainian). 15 March 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
- "NSDC bans pro-Russian parties in Ukraine". Ukrinform. March 20, 2022. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
- "As it happened: Ukraine war latest: Resilience making Russia assess reality, negotiator says".