Poroshenko preparing to control parliament, government

World October 30, 2014, 16:52

Amendments to the Constitution can enhance the presidential powers instead of observing a system of checks and balances

KIEV, October 30. /TASS/. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko is planning to launch a reset of power in full by creating his party’s majority in the parliament and form his government, analysts said on Thursday.

The early parliamentary election results show that the Petro Poroshenko Bloc is coming second. The People’s Front led by Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk is taking the lead. It is the victor who intends to dictate his conditions to the president, they said.

The president’s party hopes to create a coalition with a constitutional majority. However, during the consultations, the coalition agreement is becoming a stumbling block.

The People’s Front disputes the Petro Poroshenko Bloc’s claims upon the leading position in the coalition. “Of course, we respect the president’s strategy. But we want to understand that we have a parliamentary presidential form of government. It’s the winners who should talk about the coalition,” one of the party leaders, Viktoriya Syumar, said.

Yatsenyuk considers evident his re-appointment for premiership by forming a coalition on the basis of the People’s Front proposals. “In compliance with European practice the party, who took the lead in the elections, must start forming the coalition. If the coalition is set up on such principles, the party’s leader will be head of the government,” he said.

At the same time, Yatsenyuk denied Petro Poroshenko Bloc’s draft coalition agreement and put forth his own draft.

However, Poroshenko needs “his” coalition and the constitutional majority (300 votes). In late June the Verkhovna Rada registered draft amendments to the Constitution initiated by the president. The newly elected Rada has to approve them.

Experts say the amendments to the Constitution can enhance the presidential powers instead of observing a system of checks and balances.

Analysts say the president has to cast many portfolios and seats in favour of coalition partners, including the premier’s post.

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