Gennady Maxak took part in parliamentary hearings on the topic “Reforming Ukraine’s legislation on local elections in the interests of communities”

On May 12, parliamentary hearings were held in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on the topic “Reforming the legislation of Ukraine on local elections in the interests of communities”. Polissya President Gennady Maxak, along with other representatives of the reform support network. At the parliamentary hearings, the network presented its statement to optimize the election process.

The hearing was opened by the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Lytvyn. He noted that the existing proportional system of elections of the council and local councils has not justified itself. According to the speaker of the BP, it contradicts the constitution and violates human rights.

The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada stressed that he advocates for the introduction in the state of the electoral system, in which the parliament would be elected by the lists of candidates with preferences for voters. The speaker named three conditions under which voting on preferential open lists. The first is the distribution of the number of seats in constituencies. The second is to participate in the election of a small number of subjects of the electoral process. An important condition, according to Lytvyn, is the stability of the party system. At the same time, in his opinion, when holding local elections, it is necessary to return to the majority system, in which candidates are nominated from districts, as well as to introduce open party lists with preferences in parliamentary elections.

The report at the parliamentary hearings was made by the Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Committee on State Construction and Local Self -Government, People’s Deputy Yuri Klyuchkovsky.
He informed that the VRU registered a number of bills on changing the electoral system (in elections to local councils), but recently Parliament did not support the bill on two -tour elections on the ground.

“The final decision on the electoral system, which will be held by local elections in Ukraine, should be made after amendments to the Constitution, which will aim to arrange the election date to local councils,” Klyuchkovsky added.

Yuri Klyuchkovsky stressed that “if the election system is not perceived by society, the results of such elections will always look manipulative for voters.

“It is unclear which body in Ukraine should monitor the term of powers of local councils. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, according to the Constitution, has not been given such powers,” – said Yu. Klyuchsk.
According to the People’s Deputy, it is necessary to amend the Constitution in the part of the local elections, as well as to resolve the issue of the electoral system for the election of deputies of local councils in Ukraine.

“When choosing a system, many things depends on the feasibility. It is also possible to provide candidates with party.

The hearing was made by MPs, representatives of public organizations. Representative of the reform support network Denis Kovrizhenko presented proposals that were developed during the collective discussion.

The heads of local councils of various subordination were able to tell about their vision of what election system in elections to local councils corresponded to the interests of communities.

Participants of parliamentary hearings set the following requirements for the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine:
– amend the Constitution of Ukraine in the part of local elections;
– appoint the date of local elections;
– to grant the rights of the village, settlement, mayor to be a deputy of the respective district or regional council;
– to legislate the liability of local deputies to voters;
– to restore the order of nomination of candidates for deputies and to the positions of heads of local councils at a meeting of voters at the place of residence, work and training;
– to expand the range of entities that have the right to make proposals for the formation of election commissions;
– to provide for the possibility of self -nomination of candidates in local elections;
– increase the representation of women in councils of all levels, etc.