Electoral reform in Ukraine: main achievements and impact of the Russian-Ukrainian war

Abstract

The article is devoted to the electoral reform in Ukraine in the context of European integration processes and the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war, including after the full-scale invasion. The results of the electoral reform implementation in 2019-2021 are summarised. The author describes the achievements of the 2019 election campaigns in terms of adherence to the principles of transparency, competitiveness, and democracy, as well as recommendations for further improvement of the electoral legislation. The author emphasises the importance of codifying the regulatory framework for elections. It is noted that the adoption of the Electoral Code and its further implementation contributed to the stabilisation and integration ofelectoral legislation. The author identifies the key achievements of the electoral reform: the introduction of a proportional system with open regional party lists, ensuring the voting rights of internally displaced persons, the introduction of gender quotas, and the creation of conditions for voting by people with disabilities. The negative impact of the full-scale Russian aggression on the electoral reform, which largely concerns the system of election organisation, is investigated. The author identifies the factors that complicate the organisation and conduct of elections in wartime: the inability to guarantee the safety of electoral participants, significant financial costs, the difficulty of ensuring proper voting in the face of rocket attacks, etc. The author concludes that it is impossible to hold elections under the legal regime of martial law. The article reveals the content of the new tasks of reforming the electoral system caused by the full-scale war. The author emphasises the need to continue the electoral reform initiated before the full-scale war as a condition for the successful implementation of Ukraine's European integration aspirations.