Constitution: adopted 28 June 1996
Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Leonid D. KUCHMA (since 19 July 1994) was
elected for a five-year term by direct popular vote; election last
held 26 June and 10 July 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); results -
Leonid KUCHMA 52.15%, Leonid KRAVCHUK 45.06%
head of government: Prime Minister Yevhen MARCHUK (since NA June
1995), First Deputy Prime Minister Pavlo LAZARENKO (since NA), and
eight deputy prime ministers were appointed by the president and
approved by the Supreme Council
cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the president and
approved by the Supreme Council
National Security Council: originally created in 1992, but
significantly revamped and strengthened under President KUCHMA;
members include the president, prime minister, ministers of finance,
environment, justice, internal affairs, foreign economic relations,
economic and foreign affairs; the NSC staff is tasked with
developing national security policy on domestic and international
matters and advising the president
Presidential Administration: helps draft presidential edicts and
provides policy support to the president
Council of Regions: advisory body created by President KUCHMA in
September 1994; includes the chairmen of Oblast and Kiev and
Sevastopol City Supreme Councils
Legislative branch: unicameral
Supreme Council: elections last held 27 March 1994 with repeat
elections continuing through December 1998 to fill empty seats (next
to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (450
total) Communists 91, Rukh 22, Agrarians 18, Socialists 15,
Republicans 11, Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists 5, Labor 5, Party
of Democratic Revival 4, Democrats 2, Social Democrats 2, Civil
Congress 2, Conservative Republicans 1, Party of Economic Revival of
Crimea 1, Christian Democrats 1, independents 225; note - most
recent repeat election held in April 1996 filling 422 of 450 seats
as follows: independents 238, Communist 95, Rukh 22, Agrarians 18,
Socialist 15, Republicans 11, Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists 5,
Labor 5, Party of Democratic Revival 4, Democratic Party of Ukraine
2, Social Democrats 2, Civil Congress 2, Conservative Republicans 1,
Party of Economic Rivival of Crimea 1, Christian Democrats 1, vacant
28
Judicial branch: Supreme Court is the highest judicial body;
Constitutional Court has exclusive jurisdiction over interpretation
of the constitution and laws
Political parties and leaders: Green Party of Ukraine, Vitaliy
KONONOV, leader; Liberal Party of Ukraine, Volodymyr SHCHERBAN;
Liberal Democratic Party of Ukraine, Volodymyr KLYMCHUK, chairman;
Democratic Party of Ukraine, Volodymyr Oleksandrovych YAVORIVSKIY,
chairman; People's Party of Ukraine; Peasants' Party of Ukraine;
Party of Democratic Rebirth (Revival) of Ukraine, Volodymyr FILENKO,
chairman; Social Democratic Party of Ukraine, Vasyl ONOPENKO,
chairman; Socialist Party of Ukraine, Oleksandr MOROZ, chairman;
Ukrainian Christian Democratic Party, Vitaliy ZHURAVSKYY, chairman;
Ukrainian Conservative Republican Party, Stepan KHMARA, chairman;
Ukrainian Labor Party, Valentyn LANDYK, chairman; Ukrainian Party of
Justice, Yuriy ZUBKO, chairman; Ukrainian Peasants' Democratic
Party, Serhiy PLACHINDA, chairman; Ukrainian Republican Party,
Bondan YAROSHPSKYY, chairman; Ukrainian National Conservative Party;
Ukrainian People's Movement for Restructuring (Rukh), Vyacheslav
CHORNOVIL, chairman; Ukrainian Communist Party, Petr SYMONENKO;
Agrarian Party; Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists, Slava STESTKO;
Civil Congress, O. BAZYLUK; Party of Economic Revival of Crimea;
Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine, Nataliya VITRENKO and
Volodymyr MARCHENKO, leaders; People's Democratic Party, Anatoliy
MATVIYENKO, chairman
Other political or pressure groups: New Ukraine (Nova Ukrayina);
Congress of National Democratic Forces
International organization participation: BSEC, CCC, CE, CIS,
EBRD, ECE, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO,
ITU, NACC, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMOT,
UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Yuriy Mikolayevych SHCHERBAK
chancery: 3350 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 333-0606
FAX: [1] (202) 333-0817
consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York