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Ukraine is a democracy under a semi-presidential system with separate legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Ukraine presently is undergoing an extensive constitutional reform that would change the balance of power between the executive and legislative branches and their relationship to the President. A reform to local self-government has been suggested, but is yet to be formally approved.

Politics of Ukraine
Constitution Human rights
Presidency President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Office of the President National Security and Defence Council Presidential representatives Presidential symbols
Executive Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal Cabinet Shmyhal Government
Legislature Verkhovna Rada (parliament) Chairman: Ruslan Stefanchuk Committees People's Deputy of Ukraine Imperative mandate
Judiciary Constitutional Court Supreme Court Prosecutor General
Local government Local state administration (chief) Local legislature Administrative divisions Autonomous republics Oblasts Raions Cities (with special status)
Elections Central Election Commission Political parties Recent elections Presidential 2014 2019 next Parliamentary 2014 2019 next Local 2014 (Kyiv) 2015 2020 Referendums 1991 (March) 1991 (Dec) 2000
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See also Ukrainian nationalism Declaration of Independence Proclamation of Independence Cassette Scandal Ukraine without Kuchma Orange Revolution Russia–Ukraine gas disputes Universal of National Unity Political crises of 2006 2007 2008 Kharkiv Pact Annexation of Crimea by Russia 2022 Russian invasion
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Country summary info

• Country name
  • conventional long and short form: Ukraine
  • local long and short form: Україна
  • former: Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (for previous names see History of Ukraine)

• Country codes
  • ISO 3166-1 Alpha-2: UA; ISO 3166-1 Alpha-3: UKR; ISO 3166-1 Numeric: 804; ITU: UP
  • Dialing code: 380

• Government type
  • republic

• Capital
  • Kiev (also Kyiv, Template:Lang-uk)

• Administrative divisions
  • 24 Oblasts (provinces), 1 Autonomous Republic, 2 Cities of central subdivision
  • for details see Subdivisions of Ukraine

• Independence
  • August 24, 1991, proclaimed by the parliament (from the Soviet Union)
  • approved by referendum (popular vote) on December 1, 1991

• National holiday
  • Independence Day, August 24, (1991)

• Constitution
  • The Constitution of Ukraine was adopted 28 June 1996

• Legal system
  • The Ukrainian legal system is based on the civil law and the judicial review of legislative acts.

• Suffrage
  • 18 years of age; universal except legally deabled and under penal imprisonment following conviction. Suffrage rights automatically reestablished upon expiration of the penal term or an early release.

State symbols

According to the Constitution, the state symbols of Ukraine are the State Flag of Ukraine, the State Coat of arms of Ukraine and the State Anthem of Ukraine.

Flag

The State Flag of Ukraine is a banner of two equally-sized horizontal bands of blue and yellow.

Coat of arms

The Great State Coat of arms of Ukraine will be established with the consideration of the Small Coat of Arms of Ukraine as its main element. The Small Coat of Arms of Ukraine ("the Trident") is based on the emblem of the Rurik Dynasty of the rulers of Kievan Rus'.

Anthem

"Ukraine's glory has not perished" is the national anthem set to the music by M. Verbytskyi with the words by Pavlo Chubynskyi.

Head of state

According to the constitution the President of Ukraine is the head of state. The current president of Ukraine is Viktor Yushchenko (since January 23, 2005)

President is elected by popular vote for a five-year term. The last presidential elections were held in 2004 (See: Ukrainian presidential election, 2004).

Legislative branch

Verkhovna Rada, a unicameral parliament (450 seats) amends the Constitution of Ukraine, drafts laws, ratifies international treaties, appoints a number of officials, and elects judges.

Elections were last held on March 26, 2006. (See Ukrainian parliamentary election, 2006).

Executive branch

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The Prime Minister of Ukraine (the head of the Cabinet) and most of the Cabinet are appointed by the Verkhovna Rada. The current acting Prime Minister is Yuriy Yekhanurov, approved as Prime Minister on September 22, 2005. In early January of 2006 the Verkhovna Rada retired the Cabinet, but ordered it to continue functioning until the new Cabinet is formed. The new Cabinet will be appointed by the new parliament convocation elected on the parliament elections on March 26, 2006.

Before the constitutional reform that was introduced as of January 1, 2006, the Prime Minister was nominated by the President and approved by the Verkhovna Rada. Subsequently, the rest of Cabinet was nominated by the new Prime Minister and appointed by the President.

After the reform, the parliament has got the power of approving (or rejecting) the Prime Minister and most members of the Cabinet. Having been approved, the new Prime Minister nominates other members of the Cabinet for approval by the Verkhovna Rada (not to the President like before). However, the President retains the following important powers:

• to officially nominate Prime Minister for approval by Verkhovna Rada, after the candidate is suggested to the President by the parliamentary coalition (which means that the President may reject the candidate, but not present other candidates)
• to appoint Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defense unilaterally (without nomination or approvement)
• to appoint unilaterally the heads of the central executive bodies that do not belong to the Cabinet (most notably heads of Security Service of Ukraine and State Tax Administration of Ukraine)
• to appoint Heads of the Local State Administrations (i.e. governors) by nomination of the Prime Minister.

Judicial branch

• Constitutional jurisdiction
  • The Constitutional Court of Ukraine.

• General jurisdiction
  • The Supreme Court of Ukraine;
  • High specialized courts: the High Arbitration Court of Ukraine (Template:Lang-ua), the High Administrative Court of Ukraine;
  • Regional courts of appeal, military courts of appeal, specialized courts of appeal;
  • Local district courts, military garrison courts.

The Constitution of Ukraine provides for trials by jury. This has not yet been implemented in practice. Moreover, some courts provided for by legislation as still in project, as is the case for, e.g., the Court of Appeals of Ukraine. The reform of the judicial branch is presently under way.

Other bodies

• Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine
• The Central Election Commission of Ukraine
• National Security and Defense Council (NSDC)

NSDC was originally created in 1992 as the National Security Council, but significantly revamped and strengthened under President Kuchma. The NSDC staff is tasked with developing national security policy on domestic and international matters and advising the president.

• National Institute for Strategic Studies (NISS) was established by Presidential decree in 1992. It serves as a think tank devoted to the study of "national development strategy" (стратегія національного розвитку) for Ukraine, including economic, cultural, and foreign policies.

See also

• Constitution of Ukraine
• Politics of Ukraine

• Government of Ukraine