100 days of the newly-elected Parliament: which factions are the most disciplined?

There are 6 parliamentary factions, 2 parliamentary groups and non-faction MPs in the Parliament. We should remind that each MP is obliged to "attend and participate in meetings of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and its bodies which membership he holds" (Article 24(4) of the Law of Ukraine on the Rules of Procedure of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine).

Having analyzed the attendance at plenary meetings for 27.11.14-24.02.15 on the basis of written registration, we compared it with the attendance of MPs working in the RV of VII convocation.

The most disciplined factions of the current VIII convocation, which MPs have participated in the largest number of sittings:

1. People's Front (89% attendance);

2. Samopomich (85% attendance);

3. Petro Poroshenko Block (84% attendance).

Factions and parliamentary groups which MPs have visited the smallest number of sittings:

1. Volia Narodu Group (66%);

2. Opposition Block (73%);

3. Economic Development Group and non-faction MPs (74% each).

It should be mentioned that according to the results of the first session of the Verkhovna Rada of VII convocation in the end of 2012, the AUU Svoboda had 99% attendance, the UDAR party and the CPU has 96%, and the worst attendance had non-faction MPs (84%) and Batkivshchyna (87%). Thus, the previous convocation of the Parliament was more disciplined.

Having researched the written registration journal, we've selected Top 3 MPs of VIII convocation who don't register in written from:

1. Andrii Biletskyi, non-faction MP, former battalion commander of the Azov battalion, 86% absence;
2. Dmyrto Yarosh, non-faction MP, is in the hospital lately after being wounded in Eastern Ukraine, 82% absence;
3. Mykhailo Dobkin, Opposition Block, 79% attendance.

If we take the registration data from the Rada electronic system, the Top 3 of the least disciplined MPs of VIII convocation will be the following:

1. Serhii Kliuiev, non-faction MP, was absent during voting 489 times;
2. Konstiantyn Zhevaho, non-faction MP, was absent during voting 483 times;
3. Yukhym Zviahilskyi, Opposition Block, was absent during voting 471 times;

We should emphasize that despite the formal obligation to be present during each sitting, there are no sanctions for inobservance of this rule besides deduction from wages for missed without a reasonable excuse sittings ordered by the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada. Besides that, factions and groups may have internal rules concerning how to punish "shirkers" and encourage MPs who diligently work in the Parliament.

Know more about punishment for inobservance of party discipline.

About Ukrainian and foreign experience in parliamentarism.

Infographics: Civic Network OPORA©