KYIV, Ukraine—Ukraine’s Constitutional Court resolved on Thursday the lingering question over the legitimacy of the ruling coalition that has left the country in political limbo since March.
“The Constitutional Court did not consider the proceeding to be a dispute, or political and legal conflict, but it relied on the reality of the situation,” said Andrey Strejack, the court’s top judge.
The conflict erupted when President Victor Yanukovych’s parliamentary faction Party of Regions, passed a constitutional amendment in late February immediately after Yanukovych won the presidency over arch-rival, former Primer Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
According to the constitutional amendment, deputies can now leave their parties to join coalitions as individuals. Traditionally, only factions of parties could join together to form a majority or ruling coalition. The Ukrainian Parliament has four factions.
Once in office, Yanukovych sought to institute immediate political and economic reforms to show to the world signs of progress as promised during his campaign.
The opposition called the court’s decision a “shame” for contradicting its 2008 decision, which upheld the traditional way of forming coalitions.
But the court explained that its 2008 decision was made without considering the temporary Parliament procedure regulations. The current decision includes all factors leading the court to rule that Yanukovych’s amendments are consistent with the constitution.
Opposition lawmakers and some political scientists believe the decision is illegal. Opposition leader Tymoshenko says she will appeal the court’s decision.
There had been no reaction from the international community when Yanukovych passed the amendment and formed his coalition as Western world leaders said they were willing to cooperate with the authorities whomever they were.
“The Constitutional Court did not consider the proceeding to be a dispute, or political and legal conflict, but it relied on the reality of the situation,” said Andrey Strejack, the court’s top judge.
The conflict erupted when President Victor Yanukovych’s parliamentary faction Party of Regions, passed a constitutional amendment in late February immediately after Yanukovych won the presidency over arch-rival, former Primer Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
According to the constitutional amendment, deputies can now leave their parties to join coalitions as individuals. Traditionally, only factions of parties could join together to form a majority or ruling coalition. The Ukrainian Parliament has four factions.
Once in office, Yanukovych sought to institute immediate political and economic reforms to show to the world signs of progress as promised during his campaign.
The opposition called the court’s decision a “shame” for contradicting its 2008 decision, which upheld the traditional way of forming coalitions.
But the court explained that its 2008 decision was made without considering the temporary Parliament procedure regulations. The current decision includes all factors leading the court to rule that Yanukovych’s amendments are consistent with the constitution.
Opposition lawmakers and some political scientists believe the decision is illegal. Opposition leader Tymoshenko says she will appeal the court’s decision.
There had been no reaction from the international community when Yanukovych passed the amendment and formed his coalition as Western world leaders said they were willing to cooperate with the authorities whomever they were.
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