You're reading: Front for Change calls on Constitutional Court to strike down new election law

Arseniy Yatsenyuk, leader of the Front for Change Party, has called on the Constitutional Court rule on changes to The Law on Local Elections, which took effect on July 31.

The controversial changes, passed by the pro-presidential parliament majority and signed by the president, governs local elections scheduled for Oct. 31.

A statement posted on Aug. 5 to the Front for Change Party website criticizes new provisions in the law, which:

  • only allows political parties represented in parliament to form territorial election commissions (TEC)
  • allows the Central Election Commission to annul TEC results and establish the election results
  • allows TECs to approve election results based on a majority vote of TEC members
  • only allows parties registered 365 days prior to the poll to nominate candidates for local councils

Opposition parties, including former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s Batkivschyna (Fatherland) Party and Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Tigipko’s Strong Ukraine Party say the new law violates the Constitution.

Read the full text of Yatsenyuk’s statement on the law here.