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2006 Ukrainian parliamentary election

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2006 Ukrainian parliamentary election
← 2002 26 March 2006 2007 →
All 450 seats to the Verkhovna Rada
226 seats needed for a majority
Turnout67.55% (Decrease 1.72 pp)
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Viktor Yanukovych Yulia Tymoshenko Yuriy Yekhanurov
Party Party of Regions Tymoshenko Bloc Our Ukraine Bloc
Leader since 19 April 2003 9 February 2001 25 November 2005
Last election 36 seats 22 seats, 7.54% 113 seats, 24.49%
Seats won 186 129 81
Seat change Increase 150 Increase 107 Decrease 32
Popular vote 8,148,745 5,652,876 3,539,140
Percentage 32.78% 22.75% 14.24%
Swing – Increase 15.21% Decrease 10.05%
  Fourth party Fifth party
 
Leader Oleksandr Moroz Petro Symonenko
Party SPU KPU
Leader since 26 October 1991 19 June 1993
Last election 23 seats, 7.14% 64 seats, 20.76%
Seats won 33 21
Seat change Increase 10 Decrease 43
Popular vote 1,444,224 929,591
Percentage 5.81% 3.74%
Swing Decrease 1.33% Decrease 17.02%
Results by electoral district
Prime Minister before election

Yuriy Yekhanurov
Our Ukraine Bloc

Elected Prime Minister

Viktor Yanukovych
Party of Regions

Politics of Ukraine
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See also
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Parliamentary elections were held in Ukraine on 26 March 2006.[1] Election campaigning officially began on 7 July 2005. Between November 26 and 31 December 2005 party lists of candidates were formed.

The election to the Ukrainian parliament, Verkhovna Rada, was held according to the party-list proportional election system—that is, in a single nationwide electoral district[2] with votes being allocated to the political parties or election blocs rather than to individual candidates. In the previous parliamentary elections half of parliamentary representatives (deputies) were elected on proportional basis, while the other half were elected in single-mandate constituencies.[2]

Following the Orange Revolution and the 2004 presidential elections in December 2004 Ukrainian parliament adopted significant changes (amendments) to the Constitution of Ukraine by introducing concepts of political coalition, coalition government, imperative mandate as well as transferred some power from the President to the parliament, making Ukraine a parliamentary-presidential democracy. Those amendments were to enter into force on 1 January 2006. The new constitutional amendment also abolished single member-districts and replacing them with an increased multi-member proportional representation. According to the election law and the system adopted, the political parties or election blocs need to collect at least 3% of the national vote in order to gain seats in parliament.[3]

Parties and electoral blocs registered

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A record number of forty five parties registered for the election, with only five securing the minimum 3% quota required to elect representatives to the Ukrainian parliament. Seats in the Verkhovna Rada are allocated among those parties securing the 3% quota according to the largest remainder method of seat allocation, using the Hare quota. Each party meeting the 3% quota is entitled to appoint one representative for every 1/450 (approximately 0.22%) of the total vote allocated to all parties exceeding the 3% threshold, with remaining seats being awarded to the parties with the largest remaining fractions of 1/450 of the total vote allocated to all parties meeting the 3% threshold.

Name of the party or electoral bloc (number of candidates):

(Parties or blocs which have obtained at least 3% of the vote are in bold)

Opinion polls

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According to earlier polls, front-runners where Party of Regions on 34%, Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc on 24%, as well as President Yushchenko's People's Union Our Ukraine.

Two other political forces that where virtually assured to pass a 3% barrier where the Socialist Party of Ukraine headed by Oleksander Moroz and the bloc of the current Speaker of Verkhovna Rada, Volodymyr Lytvyn (based on his former Agrarian Party of Ukraine renamed to the People's Party).

The Communist Party of Ukraine, which has progressively received fewer and fewer votes with each election (25% in 1998, 20% in 2002), was expected to continue their decline in voter support.

Whilst some parties have nominated over 400 candidates, it was always unlikely that any single Party would elect over 200 members. In order to form a Government, under Ukraine's constitution, parties will need to form a coalition with two or more voting blocks within the first month following the declaration of the polls.

Razumkov Centre Poll

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Each 2 weeks Razumkov Centre held a representative national survey.

Table 1 shows the results for the parties likely to pass the three percent threshold.

Graph showing latest poll #3, Jan(2)by Razumkov published Feb 2006
Table 1: Ukrainian parliamentary election, 2006, Survey
Party or electoral bloc Nov. 2005 [1] Jan. 2006 (1) [2] Jan. 2006 (2) [3]
Party of Regions 17.5% 24.7% 27.4%
Bloc "Our Ukraine" 13.5% 15.4% 16.9%
Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc 12.4% 12.0% 12.7%
Socialist Party of Ukraine 5.6% 4.6% 6.3%
Communist Party of Ukraine 5.8% 4.6% 6.2%
Lytvyn's People's Bloc 3.3% 3.0% 3.4%
Nataliya Vitrenko Bloc "People's Opposition" 2.6%[4] 2.5% 1.8%
Other 5.3% 7.7% 7.4%
Against all 6.7% 3.9% 4.1%
Will not vote 6.4% 2.5% 3.1%
Does not know/no opinion 20.9% 19.1% 10.5%
Not answered - - 0.2%
Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%
number of respondents 1993 2290 2016
precision (p-value) 2.3% 2.1% 2.3%

The latest Razumkov poll shows a consolidation of voter opinion and if the results of the poll are a true indication of voter intention the voter participation rate will be above 90% of registered voters. Voting in Ukraine is not compulsory. Votes below the 3% threshold are discarded which increases the proportional share of seats allocated to the remaining party/blocs. There is still 10.5% of voters undecided.

Kyiv International Institute of Sociology

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Kyiv International Institute of Sociology presented the latest poll on 9 February based on a survey during 20–27 January[5].

Table 2 shows the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) poll results for the parties likely to pass the three percent threshold.

Graph showing poll results by Kyiv International Institute of Sociology published Feb 2006
Regional division used by KIIS
Table 2: Ukrainian parliamentary election, January 2006, Survey
Party or electoral bloc Ukraine West Center South East
Party of Regions 29.9% 5.0% 8.5% 43.5% 68.1%
Bloc "Our Ukraine" 18.5% 38.4% 23.4% 9.6% 2.3%
Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc 10.4% 16.6% 16.6% 5.3% 2.0%
Socialist Party of Ukraine 4.0% 2.1% 8.9% 2.0% 1.5%
Communist Party of Ukraine 4.5% 0.9% 4.3% 6.5% 6.0%
Lytvyn's People's Bloc 2.6% 1.8% 3.8% 3.7% 0.4%
Nataliya Vitrenko Bloc "People's Opposition" 1.3% 0.7% 0.3% 2.5% 1.8%
Civic Bloc "PORA" 0.7% 1.9% 0.3% 0.7% 0.2%
Greens Party 0.6% 0.3% 1.0% 0.6% 0.2%
Ukrainian People's Bloc of Kostenko and Plyusch 0.5% 1.1% 0.7% 0.2% 0.0%
Opposition Bloc "Ne Tak" 0.5% 0.6% 0.2% 0.7% 0.7%
Other (less than 0.4% each) 3.0% 1.6% 4.1% 3.6% 1.9%
Undecided 13.5% 20.5% 13.7% 12.6% 7.3%
Against all 5.7% 4.2% 10.2% 3.3% 4.0%
Does not vote 4.3% 4.3% 4.0% 5.2% 3.6%
Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

The map to the right shows the non administrative regional division used by KIIS: The Western region (orange) comprises the eight oblasts of the west - Volyn, Rivne, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, Khmelnytskyi, Transcarpathia, and Chernivtsi oblasts; the Central region (yellow) is made up by Zhytomyr, Vinnytsia, Kirovohrad, Cherkasy, Poltava, Sumy, Chernihiv and Kyiv oblasts as well as the city of Kyiv; the Southern region (light blue) consists of Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia oblasts, the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol; the Eastern region (dark blue) includes Kharkiv, Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts

Exit polls

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National exit poll 2006 Exit-poll Ukrainian sociology service Exit-poll "FOM-Ukraine"

Source: Korrespondent.net

Results

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On 10 April the Central Election Commission (CVK) announced the final results of vote counting. Out of 45 parties, only 5 passed the required 3% electoral threshold (see the table below).

Comparing the results with early polls (but not with 2005 opinion polls[4]), it was unexpected that President Viktor Yushchenko's party "Our Ukraine" received less than 14% of the national vote, coming third after the Party of Regions, and the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc.

As per preliminary results, the Ukrainian Communist Party was soundly trounced, getting less than 4% of the vote and 21 deputies as a result, as opposed to their 20% in the 2002 elections.

The People's Opposition Bloc of Natalia Vitrenko did not pass the electoral threshold collecting only 2.93% of total votes recorded, 0.07% short of the required 3% electoral threshold. According to the law the threshold is calculated based on the total number of the voted ballots, including the general non-confidence votes (i.e. ballots of those who voted against all parties listed) as well as invalid votes (e.g. votes for more than one party as such option is not provided by electoral law). If such votes were excluded from the total, then Vitrenko party would have received over 3% of the formal vote. Commenting the preliminary results the leader of the Opposition Bloc, Natalia Vitrenko expressed: "On what basis does the CEC show the number of voters as 25 million 250 thousand? According to the CEC in Ukraine, 2% of the votes are invalid and 1.8% are "against all", therefore these figures should be excluded. The base for calculations should not be more than 24 million 500 thousand - and this is 3% of the amount that the CEC counted for our bloc."[5] Nonetheless, according to the Law on Election, Article 1.4 "The mandates are distributed to the parties (blocs) that obtained no less than three percent of votes of voters that participated in the election"

A set of parties which did not pass the electoral threshold, notably People's Opposition Bloc of Natalia Vitrenko and the Opposition Bloc "Ne Tak" have made claims of the elections being highly falsified and asked for vote recount. Recent reports in the media have indicated that Ukraine's President has also suggested that if necessary a partial recount of the 26 March ballot should be made. If significant mistakes were made in the tally of votes there is a chance for Opposition Block of Natalia Vitrenko to exceed the 3% threshold required by law.

Over 22% of voters who supported minor candidates (with less than the 3%) will not be represented by the parties elected due to the electoral method used (party list proportional representation with an election threshold).

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Party of Regions8,148,74532.78186+150
Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc5,652,87622.74129+107
Our Ukraine3,539,14014.2481–31
Socialist Party of Ukraine1,444,2245.8133+11
Communist Party of Ukraine929,5913.7421–44
People's Opposition Bloc of Natalia Vitrenko743,7042.9900
People's Bloc of Lytvyn619,9052.490New
Ukrainian National Bloc of Kostenko and Plyushch476,1551.920New
Viche441,9121.7800
Civil Bloc "PORA–PRP"373,4781.500New
Opposition Bloc "Ne Tak"257,1061.030–27
Revival245,1880.990New
Yuriy Karmazin Bloc165,8810.670New
Party of Greens of Ukraine137,8580.5500
Block of People's Democratic Parties126,5860.510New
Party of Environmental Salvation "EKO+25%"120,2380.480New
Ukrainian Party "Green Planet"96,7340.390New
Svoboda91,3210.3700
Peasant Party of Ukraine79,1600.3200
Lazarenko Bloc (Hromada–SDS–SDPU)76,9500.3100
Party of National Economic Development of Ukraine60,1950.240–1
For Union (Soyuz–SU–SP–Motherland)51,5690.210New
Party of Pensioners of Ukraine51,0970.2100
State – Labour Union36,3960.1500
Third Force34,9630.140New
People's Movement of Ukraine for Unity34,7230.1400
Party of Putin Policy30,9170.120New
All-Ukrainian Party of People's Trust29,8990.1200
Ukrainian Party of Honor, Struggle against Corruption and Organized Crime28,8180.120New
Party of Patriotic Forces of Ukraine26,5530.110New
Ukrainian Conservative Party25,1230.100New
Labour Ukraine24,9420.100–10
Power of People (ZDTSZN)24,2430.100New
Social-Environmental Party "Union. Chornobyl. Ukraine"23,9870.100New
Social Christian Party22,9530.090New
Bloc Borys Olijnyk and Myhailo Syrota21,6490.090New
Yevhen Marchuk – Unity (SZhU–Ye)17,0040.070–4
Ukrainian National Assembly16,3790.070–1
Party of Social Security14,6490.060New
Block of Nonpartisans "The Sun"12,6200.050New
All-Ukrainian Party "New Force"12,5220.0500
Liberal Party of Ukraine12,0980.050–1
European Capital12,0270.050New
Patriot of Ukraine11,5030.0500
Forward, Ukraine!6,9340.030–1
Against all449,6501.81––
Total24,860,165100.004500
Valid votes24,860,16598.06
Invalid/blank votes490,5951.94
Total votes25,350,760100.00
Registered voters/turnout37,528,88467.55
Source: Central Electoral Commission

Maps

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Maps showing the top six parties support - percentage of total national vote (minimal text)
Party of Regions results (32.14%)
Party of Regions results (32.14%)
Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko results (22.29%)
Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko results (22.29%)
Our Ukraine results (13.95%)
Our Ukraine results (13.95%)
Communist Party of Ukraine results (3.66%)
Communist Party of Ukraine results (3.66%)
Bloc Lytvyn Party results (2.44%)
Bloc Lytvyn Party results (2.44%)
Socialist Party of Ukraine results (5.69%)
Socialist Party of Ukraine results (5.69%)

Reactions

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According to Arabic newsmedia Al Jazeera, Party of Regions had alleged that the general elections had been marred by irregularities and poor organisation as the first exit polls were published. But while acknowledging some organisational problems, most other parties and Western observers have given the vote a largely clean bill of health.[6]

Russian newspaper Izvestia predicts that Ukraine can expect more political instability and worsening economic situation. [6]

According to Russian online newspaper Gazeta.Ru, Tymoshenko, Yushchenko and the Socialists can form a coalition. Yulia Tymoshenko was sure she will become a new PM. Yushchenko and Georgian President Saakishvili already congratulated her with victory. [7] Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine,[8] Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine,[9] Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine

According to Russian news agency RIA Novosti, Tymoshenko promised to reconsider the Russian-Ukrainian gas deal. [10]

The Washington Post informed that Yushchenko's party was beaten into a humiliating third place in parliamentary elections as the pro-Russian party of the man he defeated for the presidency 16 months ago appeared headed for a clear victory, according to exit polls. The Party of Regions, led by Viktor Yanukovych, who was defeated by Yushchenko in 2004 following massive street protests known as the Orange Revolution, secured a commanding 33.3 percent of the vote, according to one poll. A second exit poll gave his party 27.5 percent. [11]

On 27 March, Arabic Al Jazeera reported that Yulia Tymoshenko, the former PM, had scored a triumph in parliamentary elections with her own bloc coming second and placing her in a position to form a coalition government. Viktor Yanukovich's pro-Russian Regions party won the most seats, but Tymoshenko emerged as a rejuvenated political figure, saying that "Orange Revolution" liberals could close ranks to keep the pro-Russian party in opposition. The outcome was a double humiliation for Viktor Yushchenko, the president, who defeated Yanukovich in a presidential poll re-run after December's 2004 street protests, and later fell out with Tymoshenko, his former Orange Revolution comrade. [12]

According to Forbes, Tymoshenko urged her estranged Orange Revolution allies to form a united front against their old pro-Russian nemesis, who was leading in early results from a weekend parliamentary election. Proposed coalition talks, which were supposed to get under way Monday, were delayed indefinitely.[13]

Russian online newspaper Lenta.ru reported that activists of Vitrenko's party erected tents and started boycotting the premises of Ukrainian Central Election Commission in protest of alleged violations. [14]. According to Ukrainian news agency Interfax-Ukraine[15] and Ukrainian online newspaper Ukrainska Pravda the tents are mostly empty. [16] Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine

Government formation

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See also: 2006 Ukrainian political crisis and 2007 Ukrainian political crisis

Following the 2004 constitutional amendments, a concept of coalition government replaced the existing concept of majority government.

The formation of coalition government was delayed and triggered post-election political "trade offs". On 22 June 2006 there finally was signed a coalition agreement between Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko, Bloc "Our Ukraine", and the Socialist Party of Ukraine forming the Coalition of Democratic Forces. However, political trading continued on and appointment of new government was getting suspended. Because of delay, the Socialist Party withdrew its signature from the coalition agreement and on 7 July 2006 signed new coalition agreement with the Party of Regions and the Communist Party of Ukraine forming the so-called Alliance of National Unity. That led to re-appointment of Viktor Yanukovych as Prime Minister on 4 August, with the backing of 30 deputies of the "Our Ukraine" Bloc, after the parties agreed on the principals of state policy expressed in the Universal of National Unity.

The political scandal led to early parliamentary elections after the President Viktor Yushchenko dissolved the parliament.

References

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  1. ^ Ukraine Is the Winner as Nation Heads to the Polls, Los Angeles Times (March 26, 2006)
  2. ^ a b Against All Odds: Aiding Political Parties in Georgia and Ukraine (UvA Proefschriften) by Max Bader, Vossiuspers UvA, 2010, ISBN 90-5629-631-0 (page 93)
  3. ^ Parliamentary chronicles, The Ukrainian Week (30 November 2018)
  4. ^ Ukraine:Has Yushchenko Betrayed The Orange Revolution?, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (30 September 2005)
  5. ^ "PSPU Information Bureau". Vitrenko.org. 2006-03-30. Archived from the original on 2007-01-02.
  6. ^ Gorvett, Jonathan (2006-03-26). "Irregularities alleged in Ukraine polls". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 2006-05-16.
  1. ^ Razumkov Centre: 21 листопада 2005 Рейтинг політичних партій України (Центр ім.О. Разумков)[permanent dead link‍] (Conducted 3–13 November 2005, published 21 November 2005, Ukrainian only, edited)
  2. ^ Razumkov Centre: 20 січня 2006 Електоральні рейтинги партій і блоків (Центр ім.О. Разумков)[permanent dead link‍] (Conducted 12–17 January 2006, published 20 January, Ukrainian only, edited)
  3. ^ Razumkov Centre: 8 лютого 2006 Наміри голосування на виборах до Верховної Ради України та ідеологічні орієнтації громадян (Центр ім.О. Разумков)[permanent dead link‍] (Conducted 26–31 January 2006, published 8 February, Ukrainian only, edited)
  4. ^ The November survey included Vitrenko's Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine. In January it was replaced with Nataliya Vitrenko Bloc "People's Opposition", which also includes the Party "Rus'-Ukrainian Union" (RUS')
  5. ^ Kyiv International Institute of Sociology:Report Documentation Link
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