Election reform belongs to little number of reforms that doesn't require excessive budget expenses. Besides that, politicians, experts and representatives of the public and international organizations have already reached a consensus on the terms of reforming. However, the Parliament failed to make any progress for the last 3 month, and such delay in the election law reforming can also spoil Ukraine's image due to the non-compliance with international obligations, particularly with the European Union, the Council of Europe, and the OSCE, and hazard the opportunity to receive financial and political support for reforming. Thus, a group of NGOs consisting of the Civil Network OPORA, Ukrainian Center for Independent Political Research, and Internews-Ukraine, supported by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems held the second public discussion on the content of amendments to the election law and principles of their drafting on 26 February. MPs of Ukraine, members of the CEC, representatives of the international organizations, experts and civic activists from different regions of Ukraine have joined the event.

Concept of the amended Law of Ukraine on the Election of People s Deputies of Ukraine

According to the Coalition Agreement concluded between parliamentary majority factions in the end of November, a new law on parliamentary elections establishing open-list proportional representation system should be adopted during the 1st quarter of 2015. In 2010, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe emphasized that Parliamentary elections in Ukraine should be held under proportional representation electoral system based on open election lists and regional election districts (Resolution 1755 [2010]). Similar recommendations regarding introduction of regional open-list proportional representation system were given by the Venice Commission, particularly in its opinion on the Law of Ukraine on Elections of People's Deputies in 2011.

Regional open-list proportional representation system allows to eliminate a number of drawbacks in the current mixed election system (50% of MPs are elected under majoritarian system and 50% under the closed-list proportional representation electoral system). It will also conduce to institutional development of parties, increase voter influence on parties and candidates as they will choose the priority of MPs nominated by a party. Introduction of the regional open-list proportional representation system will renew political elites and develop internal party democracy and competition.

However, its introduction will also bring the certain challenges for the public and the government – a complicated voting process (if compared to majoritarian systems), vote count and determination of election results. Thus, a wide-scale awareness campaign should be held for the voters and members of election commissions. At the same time, if a wrong type of open-list system is chosen, parties will become weaker and the Parliament inefficient, what is usually observed when elections are held under majoritarian systems.

The experts have emphasized that the election law reforming should be based on the principles of openness, transparency and inclusiveness. Besides that, the Parliament and the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Judicial Policy and Justice have to play a key role in reforming and invite experts to the development of new laws.

The concept of the amended Law of Ukraine on the Election of People's Deputies of Ukraine was presented during the event.

Concept of the amended Law of Ukraine on the Election of People's Deputies of Ukraine

 

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