Ukraine's parliament approves electoral reforms

Ukraine’s parliament adopted a package of electoral and constitutional changes today in a compromise intended to defuse the nation’s festering political crisis. The vote was approved in a 402-21 vote with 19 abstentions. MPs stood and cheered as President Leonid Kuchma signed the measure in the chamber.

“Over the past 100 years, Ukraine has more than once suffered through a crisis, but there was always enough common sense to find a way out and a decision,” Kuchma said.

Supporters of opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko had pushed strongly for electoral changes to close loopholes for fraud in the December 26 re-run of the presidential run-off election. But they had resisted the constitutional changes, which would transfer some presidential powers to parliament. A coalition of communists, socialists and pro-government factions in parliament had not opposed the electoral changes, but had agreed to pass them only along with the constitutional changes.