The Constitutional Court of Ukraine has declared unconstitutional the current provisions of the regulations of the Verkhovna Rada concerning the election of the speaker by secret ballot.
The court made this decision on Wednesday, July 11, having considered an application from 51 MPs regarding the constitutionality of the provisions of the parliament’s rules of procedure on the mechanism for electing parliament speaker.
As reported on July 3, the Verkhovna Rada adopted the language bill in the absence of Verkhovna Rada Chairman Volodymyr Lytvyn, which triggered a series of protests in Ukraine. Lytvyn refused to sign the law and tendered his resignation, but lawmakers refused to consider his statement.
On July 4, the Verkhovna Rada introduced amendments to its rules of procedure on the election, appointment and recall of its officials. According to the adopted law, the decision on the election of parliament speaker is made through an open roll-call vote by a majority of deputies of the constitutional composition. Earlier, the speaker was elected by secret ballot by two thirds of MPs.
On July 11, Lytvyn sent a letter to the Constitutional Court regarding an application from 51 MPs saying that the procedure for electing the Verkhovna Rada head is a matter of the internal organization of the parliament’s work, which is beyond the competence of the Constitutional Court.
