Election FAQ

Elections in Ukraine: October 26 Early Parliamentary Elections

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Although parliamentary elections in Ukraine were not scheduled until 2017, President Petro Poroshenko dissolved Parliament in August – after several parties in the governing coalition withdrew – and called for early elections.

The current Parliament is deeply unpopular: according to the International Foundation for Electoral Systems' (IFES) September 2014 public opinion survey, only 3 percent of Ukrainians expressed any degree of confidence in the Parliament, the lowest level of confidence of all the institutions asked about in the survey. Many current members of Parliament are associated with ousted President Viktor Yanukovych and their support for undemocratic legislation such as the so-called "dictatorship laws" – an attempt earlier this year to suppress the Euromaidan protests. Early parliamentary elections also were, and remain, a key demand of the Euromaidan movement and a campaign promise of President Poroshenko.

To help you understand this important electoral process, IFES provides Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Elections in Ukraine: October 26 Early Parliamentary Elections. IFES FAQs include:

  • Why are parliamentary elections happening now?
  • What are the most important issues in this election?
  • Who are the leading parties and candidates?
  • What are the rules for the election campaign?  

    Learn more about IFES' program in Ukraine.