Parliament proposes changes to Constitution on new elections

The Verkhovna Rada has sent the Constitutional Court a draft law on changing the date of the elections and term of office at local level.  There were 401 votes for the resolution, none against, with 2 deputies abstaining)

The resolution (№4177 ) proposes amendments to Article 136 § 1 and 141 § 1, 2 of the Constitution establishing a five-year term of office for deputies of the Crimean Parliament, village, settlement and city heads. It asks the Constitutional Court to issue a judgment as to whether this complies with Articles 157 and 158 of the Constitution as a matter of urgency by 17 June 2010.

The actual draft law would schedule the local council elections for 27 March 2011 and extend the term of office to five years.

As reported here, individuals and civic organizations have already lodged civil suits and expressed outrage over the decision by the Verkhovna Rada to cancel its previous resolution and postpone the elections which had been scheduled for 30 May 2010. 

A survey of political analysts, journalists and others carried out by the Committee of Voters of Ukraine [CVU] found that the overwhelming majority of respondents (76%) were critical of the cancellation of the 30 May local elections, and considered the decision in breach of Ukraine’s Constitution. Most believed that the elections had been cancelled for political reasons.