Mykhailo Minakov Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars November 2, 2012 ASSESSING PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN UKRAINE 2012
Mykhailo Minakov Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
November 2, 2012
ASSESSING PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN UKRAINE
2012
ASSESSING ALL FOUR PHASES OF ELECTIONS
• definition of the electoral rules • pre-election campaign • the vote • translation of votes into seats
DEFINITION OF THE ELECTORAL RULES • new electoral Law (November 2011) reinstated a mixed electoral
system • electoral Law novelties:
• higher party threshold – 5% • only parties to compete, not blocks of parties • extended rights of domestic nonpartisan observers
• additional Law on elections (July 2, 2012) • video cameras in all voting chambers • Internet transmission of voting process
DEFINITION OF THE ELECTORAL DISTRICTS
PRE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN • party competition
• registration of candidates on party lists at the Central Election Commission has been rather smooth
• restricted access to media for opposition parties
• majoritarian campaigns • misuse of administrative resources is widespread
• direct buy of votes
• composition of electoral commissions
• final outcome of lottery did not ensure a balanced DEC composition
PRE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN
THE VOTE DAY • smooth voting around the country • developed registry of voters • ineffective procedure for correction of the voters’ registry in case
of error • six exit-polls with more or less equal results • overall positive assessment of the voting day
THE VOTE DAY : EXIT POLLS
THE VOTE DAY : VOTER TURNOUT
2012 – 57,98% 2007 – 57,94% 2006 – 58,97% 2002 – 65,22%
PROPORTIONAL ELECTIONS RESULTS
PROPORTIONAL ELECTIONS RESULTS
PROPORTIONAL ELECTIONS RESULTS
• 5 parties to seat in the Parliament • approx. 6% of votes were given to parties under threshold • first time ever – relative majority of the ruling party • two parties with articulate totalitarian ideologies • United Opposition visibly distantiated from democratic values • no champions of democracy
MAJORITARIAN ELECTIONS RESULTS
MAJORITARIAN ELECTIONS RESULTS
• most of manipulations reported in connection with the majoritarian elections
• outcome in favor of financial groups • doubtful representation of local constituencies
FOUR-DAYS LONG COUNTING NIGHT
TRANSLATION OF VOTES INTO SEATS • non-transparent counting • slow counting in several districts in comparison with other
districts • quality of counting process made the whole outcome of elections
questionable
TRANSLATION OF VOTES INTO SEATS