Election law during wartime to be 'one-time': Ukraine's parliament speaker outlines key issues
Photo: Ruslan Stefanchuk, Speaker of the Rada (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
The new law on elections during wartime will be a one-time measure. There are still many issues that need to be resolved, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) Ruslan Stefanchuk made this statement during a meeting with diplomats.
Stefanchuk reminded that today, December 22, he signed an order to create a working group to prepare a draft law on elections in Ukraine during wartime. The group is headed by the first deputy speaker of the Rada, Oleksandr Korniienko. Its members will include representatives from all factions and groups without exception, as well as representatives of civil society and the Central Election Commission.
The Rada speaker emphasized that the world has "very little or no" experience in developing election legislation under wartime conditions. The working group will work out all the details of applying the Electoral Code that are related to the war.
Key issues
According to Stefanchuk, the first important issue the working group will discuss is ensuring that military personnel can vote in elections, as well as guaranteeing their right to stand for election. This needs to be clearly regulated.
The second issue is voting for Ukrainians abroad. This concerns the format in which such voting should take place. In many countries, including EU states, voting outside diplomatic or consular offices is limited or prohibited. The new law must comply with the legislation of different countries.
The Rada speaker added that the third issue is holding elections in temporarily occupied territories.
"This is also a major challenge. We do not want the aggressor to use this situation — if elections are not held or are held in a limited way — as evidence that Ukraine has supposedly voluntarily given up these territories," he said.
The fourth issue, Stefanchuk noted, is related to the diplomatic service. It is necessary to ensure that elections in Ukraine are recognized as democratic. This requires the presence of international observers.
One-time law
The Rada speaker stated that he will not yet predict when the elections will take place or under what conditions. The working group still needs to reach a consensus, as there are arguments "for" and "against" each issue. It is also important to draw on the best international experience.
"This law will be a one-time measure—specifically for these elections. After that, I hope we will move to the platform provided by the Constitution and the Electoral Code and proceed along that path," Stefanchuk emphasized.
Elections during wartime
A few weeks ago, US President Donald Trump hinted at the need for elections in Ukraine, noting that they "haven’t been held for a long time."
In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he is ready for elections. However, according to him, this requires appropriate legislation as well as ensuring the safety of all Ukrainians during the electoral process and voting.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has already demanded that Ukraine ensure the right to vote for those living in temporarily occupied territories.
