The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, has approved constitutional amendments setting the dates of the next presidential and parliamentary elections.
A total of 310 MPs out of the 350 registered in the parliament’s session hall voted for a bill of amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine. Fifteen parliamentarians voted against the document.
Such a decision was supported by 180 Regions Party MPs, seven BYT-Batkivschyna MPs, 41 Our Ukraine-People’s Self-Defense MPs, 25 Communist Party MPs, 20 People’s Party MPs, and 37 individual MPs.
As reported, on November 19, 2010, the Verkhovna Rada gave preliminary approval to constitutional amendments on the dates of the next presidential and parliamentary elections.
The law envisages that the president of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada, the Supreme Council of Crimea, deputies of local councils of all levels, and village, town, city heads are elected for five years. The document notes that regular presidential elections will be held on the last Sunday of March of the fifth year of the president’s term, the parliamentary elections on the last Sunday of October of the fifth year of the parliament’s term, and the local elections on the last Sunday of October of the fifth year of the terms of deputies of local councils of all levels and village, town, city heads.
According to transitional provisions, the next parliamentary election is to be held in October 2012 and the presidential election in March 2015.
